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Cedric Doumbe stopped Jaleel Willis in the first round at the Bellator Champions Series in Paris, bouncing back from the controversial defeat he suffered in the same arena two months ago.

French welterweight Doumbe, 31, dropped American Jaleel Willis with a huge right hand before finishing the fight with a flurry of strikes in front of a raucous crowd at the Accor Arena.

Source: BBC
 
Murphy outclasses UFC veteran Barboza

Briton Lerone Murphy beat veteran Edson Barboza via unanimous decision to secure a statement win at UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas.

Featherweight Murphy, 32, extended his undefeated record to 14 fights and one draw.

All three judges scored a wide decision for Murphy, who picked up a $50,000 (£39,000) performance bonus for 'fight of the night' at the UFC Apex.

“I came here for a war,” said Murphy.

“I’ve had the hardest road out here. I’ve put in the work, continue to climb. I’m not really bothered about the rankings; I’m just trying to get to that title."

Brazilian Barboza, 38, made his UFC debut 14 years ago.

“I just took out a legend, Edson Barboza, who was on a two-fight winning streak," said Murphy.

“I deserve the recognition now. I’ve been in there with the best of the best. I just showed my worth. I’m going to be champion. Simple.”

Murphy’s nose was badly damaged by a kick from Barboza in the first round.

The injury may force Murphy to sit out a fight in his hometown of Manchester, with UFC 304 set to take place there on 27 July.

On the undercard, Zimbabwean welterweight Themba Gorimbo beat American Ramiz Brahimaj on points to secure his second win in a row.


BBC
 
Former UFC flyweight Geane Herrera has died aged 33.

Herrera made his mixed martial arts (MMA) debut in 2011 and had 13 fights across a seven-year career, with four of those coming in the UFC.

The Colombian reportedly died following a motorcycle accident, external in Tampa, Florida.


BBC
 
Whittaker and Chimaev to clash at Saudi Arabia’s inaugural UFC event

The UFC will mark its inaugural event in Saudi Arabia with a main event between No. 3-ranked Robert Whittaker and undefeated No. 10 Khamzat Chimaev on June 22.

Tickets for the event, organized in collaboration with the Kingdom’s General Entertainment Authority, are now on sale.

Former middleweight champion Whittaker (26-7-0), fighting out of Australia, returns to the Octagon with the aim to continue his winning streak.

A professional fighter since 2009, Whittaker made his mark by becoming middleweight champion at UFC 213, with his most recent win taking place against Brazil’s Paulo Costa at UFC 298.

Chimaev (13-0-0), fighting out of the UAE, aims to continue his undefeated streak. He has six wins by knockout, five by submission, and eight first-round finishes. At UFC 294, Chimaev defeated former welterweight world champion Kamaru “The Nigerian Nightmare” Usman in a middleweight bout.

Also on the card is Sergei Pavlovich (18-2) who takes on Alexander Volkov (37-10) in an all-Russia clash.

Other fights include Kelvin Gastelum (18-9-0, 1 no contest), fighting out of the US, taking on Daniel Rodriguez (17-4-0) also from the US, in a welterweight matchup.

Brazil’s Johnny Walker (21-8-0, 1 no contest), fighting out of Ireland, faces Volkan Oezdemir (19-7-0) from Sweden. And undefeated Shara “Bullet” Magomedov (12-0-0), fighting out of Russia, takes on newcomer Joilton Lutterbach (38-10-0) from Germany.

For Arab fans, Nasrat Haqparast (16-5-0), fighting out of Morocco, clashes with Jared “Flash” Gordon (20-6-0, 1 no contest), from the US, in the lightweight division. And Abu Azaitar (14-4-1), fighting out of Morocco, takes on Denis Tiuliulin (10-9-0, 1 no contest) from Russia, at light-heavyweight.


Arab News
 
Champion fighter aims to inspire next generation

World champion martial arts fighter Artur Saladiak hopes to inspire the next generation in the sport by taking up coaching.

Somerset-based Saladiak, originally from Poland, is a three-time world champion, winning titles in Lethwei and Muay Thai in 2018 and 2023.

The 33-year-old is planning one more fight later this year before retiring, after which he hopes to move behind the ring and coach.

"That's my next step, to pass on this knowledge and my experience and to inspire the younger generation to come to this sport," he told BBC Radio Somerset.

"Because of my experience and what I achieved, and how the sport built my character, I know that can help a lot of people.

"The best thing this sport gave to me is self-discipline, which I learned in the gym and I'm putting into my normal life. Where something is hard, I'm not stopping."

Saladiak, who lives in Taunton and works as a forklift driver, has fought 33 official fights with many more away from that all over the world.

Lethwei is a martial arts discipline that originated in Myanmar where fighters are bareknuckle and allowed to use their fists as well as elbows, knees, heads and legs.

"A lot of people on my level they don't need to work. They can train, go to sleep, and train again," Saladiak said.

"Me, unfortunately I need to work and wherever I go, I work with my chin very high up because I'm very proud of what I have achieved and who I am."

Saladiak added: "I was dreaming of being the best, I was always thinking that I would be special and thanks to this sport I managed to do it."

BBC
 
PFL releases former Bellator champion Mousasi

Gegard Mousasi has been released by the PFL (Professional Fighters League) after the Dutchman complained about not fighting.

The MMA promotion acquired Bellator, which Mousasi was signed to, last November.

Mousasi, 38, was a two-time Bellator champion and has not fought since May 2023.

The former UFC contender spoke publicly about his frustrations in recent weeks and the PFL confirmed it had released him in a statement on social media saying they "wish him all the best in his next fighting chapter".

Speaking recently about Mousasi's criticism, PFL chairman Donn Davis said they were "fair and reasonable" when it came to fighter's contracts.

Mousasi has 60 fights on his MMA record, with 49 wins and nine losses.

He has victories over the likes of legends Vitor Belfort, Chris Weidman and Lyoto Machida.

Mousasi switched to Bellator from the UFC in 2017, becoming Bellator's middleweight champion in just his second bout for the MMA promotion.

He won the belt for a second time in 2020 but is currently on a two-fight losing streak.



BBC
 
Conor McGregor sends harrowing Michael Chandler taunt before UFC clash

UFC legend Conor McGregor has promised to put Michael Chandler's 'head on a pike' ahead of their fight.

McGregor is just five weeks away from his comeback fight against Chandler at UFC 303 to headline the promotion's International Fight Week in Las Vegas. The former two-weight world champion hasn't fought since breaking his leg three years ago but wants to turn back the clock with a KO win against Chandler to potentially set himself up another world title fight.

"I'm going to put this guy's head on a pike, throw it over my shoulder and waltz on," McGregor told The Mac Life. "I'm ready to go. I'm calm, I'm composed, I'm cold in the soul for this man. I'm coming back with a vengeance and I'm coming back with skill. I'm excited to show my skills.

"I'm in a great place mentally, physically, spiritually. And five weeks, five days time, we're back on the horse, giddy up. It’s a blank face and a specific body type. He has his set movements, his set patterns he moves in and his set shots. I’m aware of them and I’m preparing for a multitude of outcomes. I’m as ready as I can be, and I’m confident all my shots will land.”

McGregor has two fights left on his UFC contract but is currently renegotiating a new deal with the promotion ahead of his return. The Irishman is known for being one of the most prolific trash talkers in the fight game, but explained why he won't try to get under Chandler's skin in the coming weeks.

“I don’t think I will go to that level again,” he said. “It doesn’t serve a purpose. It doesn’t serve me well. Like I said, you remain cold to the situation. You remain emotionless." McGregor is hoping to fight three times this year, setting up a September date with a win against Chandler before another outing in December.


“I have June 29 and, God willing. I will go on June 29, fight my heart out then I will go to my birthday, July 14, with family and friends. August will be back to prepare for September [14] — Mexican Independence Day — and then December,” McGregor added.

www.mirror.co.uk

Conor McGregor sends Michael Chandler harrowing taunt before UFC clash

Former two-weight UFC champion McGregor makes his octagon return against Chandler in five weeks and he sent his rival a haunting pre-fight taunt
www.mirror.co.uk www.mirror.co.uk
 
UFC veteran Nick Diaz to make August return

Mixed martial arts veteran Nick Diaz will return to action for the first time in almost three years when he takes on Vicente Luque at UFC Abu Dhabi on 3 August.

The American, 40 - a welterweight champion in former promotion Strikeforce - has not fought since defeat by Robbie Lawler in 2021.

That bout followed a six-year hiatus from the sport which included an 18-month suspension for testing positive for marijuana after his fight with Anderson Silva in 2015.

The welterweight bout with Brazilian-American Luque, 32, will serve as the co-main event at the Etihad Arena and is over five rounds.

Diaz and his younger brother Nate are among MMA's most popular fighters, with their rebellious personalities and enduring careers attracting a cult fanbase.

A former UFC title challenger against Georges St-Pierre in 2013, Diaz has won 26 of his 38 professional bouts during a 23-year career.

But he has not won since beating BJ Penn in 2011, with three of his last four bouts ending in defeat.

The other against Anderson Silva in 2015 was deemed a no contest after the Brazilian also tested positive for banned substances.

The headlining fight in Abu Dhabi will see Umar Nurmagomedov take on Cory Sandhagen in a number one contender fight for the bantamweight championship, which is held by Sean O'Malley.


BBC
 
'If I can be that little light' - Poirier's fight outside the UFC

Dustin Poirier knows Saturday's lightweight title fight against Islam Makhachev may be his final chance at undisputed gold.

When the 35-year-old American walks out to face Russian champion Makhachev at UFC 302 in New Jersey, it will be his third attempt at winning the title.

Poirier boasts one of the most distinguished resumes in UFC history but, although he is a former lightweight interim title holder, he has failed in his quest to become undisputed champion in defeats by Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2019 and Charles Oliveira in 2021.

Over the past few years there have been ups and downs; career-changing victories over Conor McGregor mirrored by soul-crushing championship defeats, but there has always been one constant - Poirier's drive for helping the underprivileged.

Since around 2017, Poirier has auctioned off his fight kit after every bout with the money raised being put towards underserved communities.

At New Jersey's Prudential Centre against Makhachev, whether he realises his 18-year dream of becoming champion or falls at the final hurdle once again, Poirier will continue the trend.

"It started with a police officer who lost his life in the line of duty and left behind a family. He got killed blocks away from where me and my wife went to high school," Poirier tells BBC Sport.

"It really struck home so I sold some things I owned and donated the money to the family. And then after another fight I did the same thing, auctioned off some gloves and shorts and gave the money to a food bank in Louisiana."


BBC
 
Makhachev submits Poirier in gruelling title fight

Islam Makhachev submitted Dustin Poirier in the fifth round of a gruelling contest to retain his lightweight title at UFC 302 in New Jersey.

Russian Makhachev's elite grappling proved the difference as the 32-year-old secured a d'arce choke, forcing American Poirier to submit.

The victory at the Prudential Centre was Makhachev's third defence of his belt while Poirier, 35, hinted at retirement after coming up short in what is likely to be his final attempt at becoming undisputed champion.

"I know I can compete with the best, but if I do fight again what am I fighting for?" said Poirier.

"I've got a little girl that I love. I don’t know, I think this could be it, honestly."

If Poirier does retire, he will exit the sport as one of the greatest mixed martial artists to not win an undisputed UFC title.

The narrative during the build-up had been whether Poirier could claim the belt at his third attempt after defeats by Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2019 and Charles Oliveira in 2021.

Poirier has one of the most distinguished resumes in MMA history, winning 21 of his 30 UFC fights since his debut in 2011, including an interim title victory against Max Holloway in 2019, but has said becoming undisputed champion is the reason he first put on a pair of gloves as a 17-year-old.

In Makhachev he was facing arguably the UFC’s biggest challenge, however, with the pound-for-pound number one winning 25 of his 26 professional fights heading into the contest.

Both fighters oozed confidence during their walkouts, with Poirier singing and bouncing towards the octagon and Makhachev flanked by former champion and team-mate Nurmagomedov, who could be seen offering advice in the champion’s ear.

Makhachev showcased his formidable all-round ability early, worrying Poirier with a boxing combination before landing a takedown and spending the rest of the round searching for submissions on the ground.

Poirier started to find success in the next few rounds, defending takedowns from Makhachev and utilising his boxing but the Russian continued to land with punches of his own.

With both fighters sporting bloodied faces - Poirier from a clash of heads and Makhachev from an elbow to his forehead - the crowd roared as the bout entered the final rounds.

Makhachev mixed up his striking, clinching and takedown attempts beautifully throughout, but Poirier was valiant in defence, getting back to his feet on multiple occasions, where the contest offered his best chance of victory.

The decisive moment came in the fifth round as Makhachev expertly ankle picked Poirer before spinning and pouncing on top to secure the fight-ending choke.

Following victory, Makhachev was swarmed in celebration by his team, before embracing Poirier alongside Nurmagomedov in a poignant show of respect between the two teams.

"I think Dustin had a great game, his coaches taught him very well. He defends my takedowns very well and gave me hard time. He is a champ and legend of this sport," said Makhachev.

The Russian then revealed his ambition to move up to welterweight in an attempt to become a two-division champion.

"It's my dream. I want to fight for the second belt. I want to feel that energy again, I need a new one,” said Makhachev.

Poirier paid tribute to his family as he contemplates the decision to put down his gloves.

“I’m not 100% but if this is my last fight, I want to dedicate this fight to the people who made me the man I am and that’s the women in my life," said Poirier.

"To my grandmother, I miss you every day. To my mother, we’ve had a crazy life, I love you. To my wife, I don’t know if I’d be standing here without you. And to my daughter, I love you so much, always chase your dreams, it’s a beautiful thing.”

In the co-main event, American Sean Strickland beat Brazilian middleweight Paulo Costa by split decision.

Former champion Strickland, 33, put his customary pressure on Costa throughout the five-round fight with Costa, 33, backing up throughout the majority of the contest.

Following the bout, Strickland called for a title fight against South Africa’s Dricus du Plessis, who he suffered defeat by for the belt last year.

Du Plessis is speculated to be making the first defence of his championship against Israel Adesanya later in the year.

BBC
 

Marshall stops Vargas in electric MMA debut​

Savannah Marshall stopped Mirela Vargas in the first round of an electric MMA debut in front of her home fans at PFL Europe in Newcastle.

The 33-year-old undisputed super-middleweight boxing champion was taken down multiple times but rose to overwhelm her Brazilian opponent with an onslaught of punches at the Utilita Arena.

Following the bout, Marshall was joined by long-term boxing adversary Claressa Shields in the cage, with the pair set to continue their rivalry in the PFL.

"Thank god I can punch. I've only been doing this nine months, but I've loved it," said Marshall.

"Now, where’s my pal Claressa?"

Marshall has made no secret of her desire to fight Shields under MMA rules, with the Hartlepool native revealing a big factor behind her move to the PFL was to pursue a fight with the 29-year-old American.

Shields, who avenged her defeat at amateur level to beat Marshall in 2022 and become boxing’s undisputed middleweight world champion, made her PFL debut in 2021 and has won two of her three fights in the organisation.

Marshall started MMA training nine months ago, citing a lack of challenges in boxing, and her appearance on the big screens early in the night at the Utilita Arena brought big cheers from fans.

Marshall had been training with UFC interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall in preparation for her MMA bow, and cameras showed the Manchester fighter giving her some final words of encouragement as she wrapped her gloves.

Walking out in a Newcastle United shirt, Marshall looked focused before entering and side-stepped around the cage to a rousing ovation.

The round provided non-stop action from the bell as Marshall's straight right hand stung the 26-year-old Vargas, before the home favourite was wobbled by a leg kick.

Marshall was then taken down by Vargas in the first grappling exchange of the fight.

Pundits had cited grappling as being the potential downfall of Marshall following her transition to MMA, but under the tutelage of Aspinall and his father Andy - who were in her corner - she showcased the work she has done in jiu-jitsu by getting back to her feet.

Source: BBC
 
Puja Tomar trending as first Indian MMA fighter to have a win.

So glad Indians are taking up different sports.
 

Ditcheva becomes PFL top seed after stoppage win​

Dakota Ditcheva needed just over three minutes to finish Chelsea Hackett and become the top seed in the PFL’s flyweight tournament in Connecticut on Thursday.

The Briton secured her seventh stoppage in a row and her third successive first-round finish.

Ditcheva, 25, was too strong for Hackett, knocking her down within 30 seconds.

The Australian went down again after a painful left hook to the body, prompting the referee to step in and stop the contest.

Ditcheva stays undefeated and on 12 points after just two fights as she aims to win the PFL’s inaugural flyweight season.

The PFL use a season format, with fighters accumulating points based on wins and finishes to qualify for the knockout stages later this year.

Ditcheva will face Jenna Bishop in the semi-finals and is now the hot favourite in the tournament.

The inaugural flyweight champion will also win £784,000.

Manchester's Brendan Loughnane is the only UK fighter to win a PFL title, having achieved the feat in 2022.

In the main event at the Mohegan Sun Arena, English heavyweight Linton Vassell’s points win over Valentin Moldavsky was not enough to secure him a place in the knockout stages.

Vassell, 41, needed a finish against Russian Moldavsky, who he already had fought twice, winning their most recent encounter in Bellator last year.

Vassell edged a split-decision victory as he did the more damage on the feet, dropping Moldavsky with a knee at one stage.

But it is Moldavsky who progresses to the semi-finals of the heavyweight tournament, where he will face Oleg Popov.

Source: BBC
 

Du Plessis-Adesanya to headline UFC 305 in Australia​

UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis will defend his title against former 185-pound king Israel Adesanya in the main event of UFC 305 in Perth, Australia, on Aug. 17.

The ex-two-time champion announced his return on social media Monday, and UFC CEO Dana White later confirmed the bout during an appearance on "The Jim Rome Show," according to Damon Martin of MMA Fighting.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1802617399625281704

Du Plessis won the belt in January with a split-decision victory over Sean Strickland, who pulled off a big upset against Adesanya to claim gold in September 2023.

Adesanya hasn't fought since the decision loss to Strickland, opting to take an extended break after being one of the UFC's most active champions. The 34-year-old has fought nine times, all title fights, since March 2020.

Adesanya and Du Plessis appeared set to fight next after a heated faceoff inside the Octagon following the latter's TKO win over Robert Whittaker last July. But Du Plessis couldn't compete due to a foot injury, and Strickland was granted a title shot instead.

Adesanya, who started his career with 20 straight victories, has suffered two of his three career defeats in his last three fights. Longtime kickboxing rival Alex Pereira knocked Adesanya out for the first time in his career in November 2022, with Adesanya returning the favor in a rematch five months later to regain his belt.

Du Plessis has won all seven of his UFC fights since joining the promotion in October 2020.

Source: thescore.com
 
hassan918 said:

Du Plessis-Adesanya to headline UFC 305 in Australia​

UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis will defend his title against former 185-pound king Israel Adesanya in the main event of UFC 305 in Perth, Australia, on Aug. 17.

The ex-two-time champion announced his return on social media Monday, and UFC CEO Dana White later confirmed the bout during an appearance on "The Jim Rome Show," according to Damon Martin of MMA Fighting.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1802617399625281704

Du Plessis won the belt in January with a split-decision victory over Sean Strickland, who pulled off a big upset against Adesanya to claim gold in September 2023.

Adesanya hasn't fought since the decision loss to Strickland, opting to take an extended break after being one of the UFC's most active champions. The 34-year-old has fought nine times, all title fights, since March 2020.

Adesanya and Du Plessis appeared set to fight next after a heated faceoff inside the Octagon following the latter's TKO win over Robert Whittaker last July. But Du Plessis couldn't compete due to a foot injury, and Strickland was granted a title shot instead.

Adesanya, who started his career with 20 straight victories, has suffered two of his three career defeats in his last three fights. Longtime kickboxing rival Alex Pereira knocked Adesanya out for the first time in his career in November 2022, with Adesanya returning the favor in a rematch five months later to regain his belt.

Du Plessis has won all seven of his UFC fights since joining the promotion in October 2020.

Source: thescore.com
Click to expand...
Adesanya is spent now, his legacy will only be bringing Alex Perriera to UFC who very likely be among the GOAT discussions.
 

Briton Edwards gets Bellator title fight in London​

Birmingham’s Fabian Edwards will fight Johnny Eblen for the Bellator middleweight title on 14 September at Wembley Arena.

The Briton lost a firefight against Eblen last September in Dublin.

Eblen, 32, is undefeated in 15 bouts and will fight in London for the first time.

Both men have fought once since their first encounter, each picking up a points win.

Edwards, 31, will have home advantage but will be an underdog against the American champion.

He earned his second title shot with a convincing points win over Aaron Jeffery in Belfast in March.

Edwards has 13 wins and three losses on his record, also losing to Austin Vanderford and Costello van Steenis.

Eblen’s title defence will headline at Bellator London as the PFL continues to stage its Bellator Champions Series.

PFL acquired Bellator last year and while it has welcomed the likes of Linton Vassell and Brett Johns into its American tournament, several high-profile Bellator names have continued to compete under the Bellator banner.

Source: BBC
 

Hughes makes weight for Bellator debut in Dublin​

Northern Ireland's Paul Hughes is ready to take on Bobby King in his first Bellator Champion Series appearance after making the weight on Friday.

Hughes, who will be making his Bellator debut after his departure from Cage Warriors, tipped the scales at 155.7lb for the lightweight fight with American King weighing 156lb.

All fighters taking part in Saturday night's event in Dublin made their weight, including Sinead Kavanagh.

The Dubliner makes her return to the cage following a nine-month absence and she will face the vastly experienced and fellow former title challenger Arlene Blencowe of Australia.

The main event will see Jason Jackson put his welterweight world title on the line for the first time against the undefeated Ramazan Kuramagomedov.

Jackson weighed in 169.9lb and Kuramagomedov just slightly under at 169.8lb.

The undefeated Darragh Kelly, who is scheduled to open the main card in the 3Arena, is among other notable local fighters in action.

Fans favourite Nathan Kelly also returns following his impressive win in Belfast back in March, and it will be an all-Irish affair in the opening bout of the evening, with an amateur clash between SBG’s Nate Kelly and Team Ryano’s exciting prospect Paul Nolan.

Source: BBC
 
Hughes defeats King on Bellator debut in Dublin

Home fighter Paul Hughes started his Bellator career with an impressive second-round knockout win over Bobby King in Dublin.

In his first Bellator fight after leaving Cage Warriors, Hughes took a commanding victory against experienced Hawaiian King at the 3Arena.

Speaking after the 12th victory of his career, Hughes said he believed he was going to be "the best in the world".

“That was the first one out of the way. I’ve been saying for about a year now that I believe I am one of the best lightweights on the planet, in any organisation," Hughes told Dan Hardy in the cage.

"I don't think I showed that tonight, so I’m going to be in the gym on Monday, hungrier than ever. I have to live up to my words.

"I don't care what anyone else says, I care what I say, and I said I’m going to be the best in the world. I have to prove it to myself, and I will."

The bout got off to an exciting, fast-paced start, with both men landing shots early in the opening round.

King however landed the first significant strike and dropped Hughes with a solid jab.

Hughes immediately recovered and started to push the pace, putting King under real pressure as the round progressed.

The second round started in a similar style to the first, with both men landing explosive shots. Hughes managed to close the distance and take the American down, and from there the writing was on the wall.

It was a dominant display on the ground from Hughes as he landed powerful ground and pound, opening up a huge cut on the right eye of King.

As Hughes continued to attack with elbows, the referee stepped in to call a stop to the contest.



www.bbc.com

Bellator Dublin: Paul Hughes defeats Bobby King on debut

Home fighter Paul Hughes starts his Bellator career with an impressive second-round knockout win over Bobby King at the 3Arena in Dublin.
www.bbc.com
 

Arman Tsarukyan suspended, fined for fan altercation at UFC 300​

UFC lightweight Arman Tsarukyan was suspended and fined Tuesday, for throwing a punch at a fan during his walkout at UFC 300 in April. The suspension will likely not impact his eligibility to fight for a UFC title later this year, however.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission suspended Tsarukyan (22-3) nine months for the altercation, but will reduce it to six months if Tsarukyan participates in an anti-bullying public service announcement. That would mean Tsarukyan would be able to fight by Oct. 12. Tsarukyan, who defeated Charles Oliveira in a No. 1 contender matchup at UFC 300, is likely to face lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in late October in Abu Dhabi. Tsarukyan was also fined $25,000.

"Arman appreciates the NSAC's dealings in this matter and looks forward to working with the UFC and NSAC to produce an anti-bullying PSA to reduce his suspension and competing for a UFC lightweight title before the end of the year," said Tsarukyan's manager, Daniel Rubenstein, in a released statement.

Tsarukyan, of Armenia, threw a punch after the fan appeared to direct a middle finger at him. The punch was caught live on the UFC broadcast.

Tsarukyan, 27, defeated Oliveira by split decision. He has not faced any legal repercussions for the punch.

Source: ESPN
 
Pereira uses rituals to win fights – Prochazka

Jiri Prochazka claimed Alex Pereira uses "rituals" to win bouts as he challenged the light-heavyweight champion to fight without spiritual help at UFC 303 in Las Vegas on Saturday.

In a pre-fight news conference, Prochazka was clarifying accusations he made on Ariel Helwani's MMA Hour,, external where he bizarrely said Pereira is aided by "magic and shamans".

Czech fighter Prochazka, 31, is attempting to avenge his defeat by Pereira in November, when he was stopped by the 36-year-old Brazilian in the second round.

"Everybody knows he is doing these rituals before the fight," said Prochazka.

"Everybody can feel that, what's around him and going on. I think Alex can't fight without that. Let's see, right now this is my challenge to him - if we can fight in a clear way in this case, to be without some other things...

"Let the higher power be there in the cage to see who is the best in the world in the performance, in the pure performance."

Pereira, who will be making the second defence of his title, was stoic when asked to respond to Prochazka's comments.

"Everybody has their own spirits, we're not only made of flesh and bone," said Pereira.

"I have found mine. If he has not found his or he does not believe, it is not my fault."

The pair have stepped in at late notice to headline at the T-Mobile Arena after Conor McGregor pulled out of his fight with Michael Chandler with a broken toe.

It is the second time in three months that former middleweight champion Pereira has headlined a landmark event after topping the card for his win over Jamahal Hill at UFC 300 in April.

BBC
 

All on me in McGregor's absence - Machado Garry​


Ian Machado Garry had taken a short holiday to play some golf when he heard the news.

Without his phone to "disconnect from the world and spend time with his family", the 26-year-old was unaware of a big story breaking in his hometown, Dublin.

It was before the drive back home that his wife turned to him, revealing Conor McGregor had pulled out of his fight at UFC 303 through injury.

Machado Garry's dream of fighting on the same card as his compatriot was over.

"It would have been a real full circle moment, from that young kid in Dublin who would sit at home and study his fights, to be sat on the same stage as him in Vegas, signing the same posters as him, entering into that same octagon as him," Machado Garry told BBC Sport.

"It would have been like ‘well done kid, you did’ it. You're both flying the flag for your country, we would have been representing Ireland on the biggest stage possible."

From the moment in March when former double champion McGregor's return had been confirmed by the UFC, Machado Garry has been vocal about competing on the same card, targeting a bout with Colby Covington.

That fight never materialised, with a welterweight bout with Britain's Michael 'Venom' Page being confirmed at the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday instead.

Machado Garry cursed when his wife first told him, but during the hour-and-a-half drive back home, he began to see an upside to the "upsetting news" of McGregor's injury.

"If anything now, go out there and do it for the Irish even more so," said Machado Garry.

"I’m still here. And if anything the Irish deserve my performance to be bigger and better now because of the expectation of coming to see a Conor fight.

"Everything he is, is on me now. I’ll carry that flag. I have no problem bearing that burden. Pop it on my back, let’s go and I’ll show the world.”

A number of fighters have been compared to the 35-year-old McGregor over the years, whose title wins at featherweight and lightweight, coupled with his brash personality, helped expose the UFC to a wider audience around nine years ago.

Although a selection of athletes have matched and arguably surpassed McGregor's achievements inside the octagon, no one has got close to his star power and recognisability outside the sport.

"Conor is the person, he will bring the general public’s attention to a fight. He’s just so intelligent the way he talks and builds a fight - he’s an entertainer," said Machado Garry.

"He’s the best fighter to ever step foot in that octagon.

"Do I think it’s a case of is anybody ever going to be like Conor? No. Conor is one of one, there’s never going to be another Conor McGregor."

But that doesn't mean Machado Garry, who is unbeaten in his 14-fight career, doesn't believe a fighter can achieve similar levels of success to McGregor.

"Do I think McGregor can be replicated? Let’s bring it to a different example. There was a Pele, there was a [Diego] Maradona, there was a Cristiano Ronaldo and then there was a [Lionel] Messi," said Machado Garry.

"There’s always going to be someone else who will be the greatest fighter or the most elite athlete we’ve seen that really does take over the sport. It’s inevitable there will be another fighter who’s going to do that."

And Machado Garry, who is seventh in the UFC welterweight rankings after winning seven fights since his 2021 debut in the organisation, believes he can be the man to emulate McGregor's success.

"Because of my personality, because of the way I am as a father, a human, a husband, everything I do is real, is true," said Machado Garry.

"And when you be you, and are truly and unapologetically you, the world sees that and they connect to it. I’m not putting on a show, or a false narrative.

"So absolutely it will happen and I believe in the next year or two I can be that next star."

www.bbc.com

UFC 303: Conor McGregor's absence means I have to step up for Ireland, says Ian Machado Garry

Ian Machado Garry says "everything is on him" to entertain the Irish fans in Conor McGregor's absence when he faces Michael 'Venom' Page at UFC 303 in Las Vegas on Saturday.
www.bbc.com
 
Imperious Pereira knocks out Prochazka to retain belt

Alex Pereira continued his imperious reign as champion as he knocked out Jiri Prochazka to retain his light-heavyweight title at UFC 303 in Las Vegas.

Brazil's Pereira, 36, floored Czech fighter Prochazka, 31, with a left high-kick in the second round, stunning the sold-out crowd inside the T-Mobile Arena.

It was Pereira's second win over Prochazka after stopping him in round two of their fight in November to win the light-heavyweight title.

The former middleweight champion has won two titles and made two defences in just nine fights since his UFC debut in November 2021 in one of the most remarkable runs in the promotion's history.

"I've been saying all week I was going to be victorious. I didn’t say how I was going to win, but I knew I was going to leave the octagon happy," said Pereira.

Earlier in the night, Ireland's Ian Machado Garry beat Britain's Michael 'Venom' Page by unanimous decision to extend the unbeaten start to his career to 15.

Machado Garry, 26, got the better of the grappling exchanges with 37-year-old Page, who suffered his first UFC defeat following a winning debut in March.

Pereira's historic run continues

Pereira and Prochazka stepped in at short notice to fight after Conor McGregor pulled out of his headlining bout with Michael Chandler earlier this month with a broken toe.

The event marked the second time in three months that Pereira had topped a big event after headlining the landmark UFC 300 in March.

Pereira knocked out Jamahal Hill that night to retain his title, setting up the rematch with Prochazka, who had stopped Aleksandar Rakic on the same evening.

In McGregor's absence, the UFC broadcast team described Pereira as the "biggest star in mixed martial arts today" and the Brazilian's performance lived up to the billing.

Before the fighter introductions, the stoic, motionless pair locked eyes for a number of minutes, mirroring the intense staredown before their encounter in November.

Pereira opened the fight with leg kicks before landing a left hook and jab on Prochazka, whose best moment of the fight came as he initiated a clinch.

The defining moment of the opening five minutes came right at the end of the round as Pereira's thunderous left hook dropped Prochazka, with the bell preventing any follow-up.

The Czech's corner team could be seen putting ice on his head to try to sharpen his senses, but it was in vain as just 13 seconds into the second round Pereira delivered his fight-ending kick.

After the bout, he hinted at a move to heavyweight and an attempt to become the first three-division champion in UFC history.

"I think that’s in my future. There doesn’t seem to be too much interest from the organisation but I’m here, I think it’s in my future," said Pereira.

"I think the fans have a lot of say in this. In the end these are the people who pay for this. If this is what they want, it’s going to be inevitable."

Machado Garry impresses again

Machado Garry said he felt responsible for putting on a show for the Irish fans in McGregor's absence, adding that he had "no problem bearing that burden".

He has earned comparisons to former double champion McGregor over the years, with his unbeaten rise to seven in the UFC welterweight rankings providing Irish fans with hope he can be the country's first champion in six years.

In Page, however, Machado Garry was facing one of the most dangerous strikers on the roster, with the Briton's in-and-out kickboxing style helping to provide a number of highlight moments during his time in Bellator.

Page made a winning start against Kevin Holland on his UFC debut in March, but faced a more willing grappler in Machado Garry.

The Irishman dominated early, catching a kick and taking the fight to the ground, before searching for a rear-naked choke that was well defended by Page until the end of the round.

Page had his best moments in the second round, landing a left-right combination that brought a wry smile from Machado Garry plus an overhand right.

But Machado Garry would utilise his grappling once again in the final five minutes, and despite doing little damage and failing to get a submission, his time in control was enough to secure the win.

"I want everyone to know I'm coming for that title. I'm 15-0, undefeated, unstoppable," said Machado Garry.

"I don't care who's next, where it is, I'm going to be a world champion, the future is inevitable."

BBC
 
Wow, What a specimen of elite Physical prowess is Alex Pereira.
Israel Adesanya became a villain to now a side character in his own narrative by calling him " An old bum in a bar".
UFC needs a clean GOAT, cant wait him to eclipse the serial steroid user cheater Jon Jones out of that discussion.
 
I've been offered Makhachev in October – Chandler

Michael Chandler says he has been offered a fight against UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in October but is prioritising a September bout with Conor McGregor, if he is fit.

American Chandler, 38, was set to face McGregor at UFC 303 last week but the matchup was cancelled after the 35-year-old Irishman pulled out with a broken toe.

Chandler challenged McGregor to a rescheduled contest at Noche UFC on 14 September at the Sphere in Las Vegas.

"I’ve been offered Islam Makhachev in October - but if Conor McGregor's little pinky toe is ready by September, let’s do Sphere," said Chandler on X., external

"Biggest sporting event in history of sports!"

Former featherweight and lightweight champion McGregor insisted he would be back soon following his injury, but UFC president Dana White said he was unsure if McGregor will return.

McGregor added he was in "deep mental pain" watching UFC 303 unfold without him, as Alex Pereira defended his light-heavyweight title against Jiri Prochazka.

Chandler has not fought since defeat by Dustin Poirier in November 2022, in anticipation of fighting McGregor.

A fight with Russian Makhachev would represent his second attempt at a UFC title after losing to Charles Oliveira in 2021.

Makhachev, 32, defended his belt against Poirier last month, while lightweight number one contender Arman Tsarukyan is currently serving a nine-month ban for an altercation with a fan.

BBC
 
BouncerGuy said:
I've been offered Makhachev in October – Chandler

Michael Chandler says he has been offered a fight against UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in October but is prioritising a September bout with Conor McGregor, if he is fit.

American Chandler, 38, was set to face McGregor at UFC 303 last week but the matchup was cancelled after the 35-year-old Irishman pulled out with a broken toe.

Chandler challenged McGregor to a rescheduled contest at Noche UFC on 14 September at the Sphere in Las Vegas.

"I’ve been offered Islam Makhachev in October - but if Conor McGregor's little pinky toe is ready by September, let’s do Sphere," said Chandler on X., external

"Biggest sporting event in history of sports!"

Former featherweight and lightweight champion McGregor insisted he would be back soon following his injury, but UFC president Dana White said he was unsure if McGregor will return.

McGregor added he was in "deep mental pain" watching UFC 303 unfold without him, as Alex Pereira defended his light-heavyweight title against Jiri Prochazka.

Chandler has not fought since defeat by Dustin Poirier in November 2022, in anticipation of fighting McGregor.

A fight with Russian Makhachev would represent his second attempt at a UFC title after losing to Charles Oliveira in 2021.

Makhachev, 32, defended his belt against Poirier last month, while lightweight number one contender Arman Tsarukyan is currently serving a nine-month ban for an altercation with a fan.

BBC
Click to expand...
Everyone wants a easy win against Connor not a mauling by Islam :p
 
I've been offered Makhachev in October - Chandler

Michael Chandler says he has been offered a fight against UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in October but is prioritising a September bout with Conor McGregor, if he is fit.

American Chandler, 38, was set to face McGregor at UFC 303 last week but the matchup was cancelled after the 35-year-old Irishman pulled out with a broken toe.

Chandler challenged McGregor to a rescheduled contest at Noche UFC on 14 September at the Sphere in Las Vegas.

"I’ve been offered Islam Makhachev in October - but if Conor McGregor's little pinky toe is ready by September, let’s do Sphere," said Chandler on X., external

"Biggest sporting event in history of sports!"

Former featherweight and lightweight champion McGregor insisted he would be back soon following his injury, but UFC president Dana White said he was unsure if McGregor will return.

McGregor added he was in "deep mental pain" watching UFC 303 unfold without him, as Alex Pereira defended his light-heavyweight title against Jiri Prochazka.

Chandler has not fought since defeat by Dustin Poirier in November 2022, in anticipation of fighting McGregor.

A fight with Russian Makhachev would represent his second attempt at a UFC title after losing to Charles Oliveira in 2021.

Makhachev, 32, defended his belt against Poirier last month, while lightweight number one contender Arman Tsarukyan is currently serving a nine-month ban for an altercation with a fan.


BBC
 
McCourt to face Collins at Bellator London

Northern Ireland's Leah McCourt will face Sara Collins at the Bellator Champions Series in London on 14 September.

The featherweight bout will serve as the co-main event at the OVO Arena Wembley, with McCourt hoping to reaffirm her claim for a title shot.

The 32-year-old last fought in October, beating American Sara McMann, before facing off with Brazilian champion Cris Cyborg.

A title bout never materialised, however, with Cyborg criticising the PFL, external for not booking her a fight since their acquisition of Bellator last year.

McCourt was instead booked for a rematch against Ireland's Sinead Kavanagh, who she lost to in 2022, but pulled out of the March bout with injury.

Australia's Collins, 33, is unbeaten, having extended her winning run to five with victory over Kavanagh in September.

The event is headlined by a middleweight title rematch between American champion Johnny Eblen and Britain's Fabian Edwards.


BBC
 
Ngannou & PFL to launch African MMA series in 2025

The Professional Fighters League will launch an African series in 2025 with Francis Ngannou announced as chairman of the new league.

The USA-based mixed martial arts promotion already has American and European circuits.

Cameroon's Ngannou, 37, hopes the new league "will shape the very foundation of African MMA".

"As we have seen there is a great wealth of talent in Africa just waiting to be given a global stage," Ngannou said.

"I am so very proud to give back to my homeland and to provide great content to a region with such a passionate and diverse fanbase."

Ngannou signed for the PFL last year but is yet to make an appearance for the MMA promotion after two boxing fights in Saudi Arabia.

The heavyweight is a former UFC champion and is one of several Africa-born fighters to win a UFC world title including Nigerians Kamaru Usman and Israel Adesanya.

South Africa's Dricus Du Plessis is the latest African to win a belt in the UFC and will defend his middleweight title against Adesanya on 17 August.

The PFL is yet to have an African-born champion, but does have several fighters with roots in the region, including 2023 light-heavyweight champion Impa Kasanganay of the United States, born in Florida to Congolese parents, and 2022 welterweight champion Sadibou Sy of Sweden, who has Senegalese heritage.


BBC
 

Conor McGregor tells Michael Chandler fight ‘for sure’ happening in 2024 after speaking to Dana White​


Conor McGregor is saying all the right things to Michael Chandler in regards to the UFC re-booking their matchup. Whether or not it’s true is another story.

McGregor’s long-awaited return to action after nearly three years on the shelf was set for the main event of UFC 303 this past June. An injury forced McGregor out of the fight, which has led to numerous questions about the futures of both fighters as 2024 progresses into its second half.

On Saturday, McGregor sent Chandler some positive news in regards to their matchup, saying he had a conversation with UFC CEO Dana White and that it will definitely happen before the year is over.

“I talked to Dana today about our new date, all looking good,” McGregor told Chandler on Twitter. “[2024] for sure.”

Chandler, as expected, is satisfied with this update.

Chandler has been on the sidelines for quite some time himself, as his next fight will be his first since being submitted by Dustin Poirier at UFC 281 in November 2022.

www.mmafighting.com

Conor McGregor tells Michael Chandler fight ‘for sure’ happening in 2024 after speaking to Dana White

Conor McGregor appeared to deliver good news to Michael Chandler about the re-booking of their UFC bout.
www.mmafighting.com www.mmafighting.com
 
FearlessRoar said:

Conor McGregor tells Michael Chandler fight ‘for sure’ happening in 2024 after speaking to Dana White​


Conor McGregor is saying all the right things to Michael Chandler in regards to the UFC re-booking their matchup. Whether or not it’s true is another story.

McGregor’s long-awaited return to action after nearly three years on the shelf was set for the main event of UFC 303 this past June. An injury forced McGregor out of the fight, which has led to numerous questions about the futures of both fighters as 2024 progresses into its second half.

On Saturday, McGregor sent Chandler some positive news in regards to their matchup, saying he had a conversation with UFC CEO Dana White and that it will definitely happen before the year is over.

“I talked to Dana today about our new date, all looking good,” McGregor told Chandler on Twitter. “[2024] for sure.”

Chandler, as expected, is satisfied with this update.

Chandler has been on the sidelines for quite some time himself, as his next fight will be his first since being submitted by Dustin Poirier at UFC 281 in November 2022.

www.mmafighting.com

Conor McGregor tells Michael Chandler fight ‘for sure’ happening in 2024 after speaking to Dana White

Conor McGregor appeared to deliver good news to Michael Chandler about the re-booking of their UFC bout.
www.mmafighting.com www.mmafighting.com
Click to expand...
If rumours about Khabib's financial troubles are true and he makes a comeback . Mcgregor v/s Khabib rematch would be box office breaking.
Chandler has no chance, he will just keep waiting.
 
Ngannou targets MMA return in October

Francis Ngannou is planning to make his return to MMA in October in Saudi Arabia.

The former UFC heavyweight champion has not fought in MMA since January 2022 having spent the past two years focused on his boxing career.

Ngannou, 37, left the UFC and signed for the PFL last year and says he will make his promotional debut against Renan Ferreira.

"It's not finalised yet, but they were talking about 19 October," Ngannou said on the JRE MMA Show., external

Ngannou boxed former world champions Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua back to back, with both bouts ending in defeat - Joshua knocking out Ngannou in just two rounds in March.

Ferreira won the PFL's 2023 heavyweight tournament and has 13 wins, three losses and three no-contests on his record.

The 34-year-old Brazilian's most recent win was a 21-second demolition of Bellator's heavyweight champion Ryan Bader in February.

"I've been telling people about this guy for almost two years," Ngannou said of Ferreira .

"I said 'watch this guy'. Very athletic. Fast hands, one-two, knees - very athletic. So I think it's going to be him."

It was announced earlier this month Ngannou would be taking charge of PFL Africa when a series is launched there in 2025.

Ngannou took a break from the public eye after the death of his 15-month-old son in April.

The Cameroonian said his son fainted twice before his death in Dubai due to a mild inflammation of the brain.

"At least whenever I die, I'm going to see my kid. I'm not afraid of it. I still want to live but you get to that point," Ngannou said.

BBC
 

Sleep doctors, 5am bed time & chasing the 0.1% - inside UFC 304​


When Leon Edwards and his team got together to discuss the implications of fighting at 5am, there was one man who knew first hand of its significance.

In 2020, former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski was woken in the middle of the night before his title defence against Max Holloway by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) to provide a urine sample.

Although Volkanovski won the fight with a razor thin split decision, it was a disjointed performance which the Australian put down to having his sleep disrupted.

Dietician Jordan Sullivan was part of Volkanovski's team then, but now works closely with British UFC welterweight champion Edwards.

Birmingham's Edwards, 32, will make the third defence of his belt against American Belal Muhammad in the main event of UFC 304 at Manchester's Co-op Live on Saturday, with the fight expected to take place about 05:00 BST on Sunday morning.

The opening bout starts at 23:00 BST, with the card timed to cater to the audience in the United States, which is five to eight hours behind the UK for the vast majority of Americans.

"Volkanovski was the one with me when I went 'OK, this is extremely important'," Sullivan told BBC Sport.

"Volk prepared perfectly but you saw the effects of Usada waking him up in the middle of the night in the fight with Holloway.

"So when Leon got the call that he'd be fighting at 5am, I said 'we can’t let anything like that happen again'."

Sullivan recommend a sleep and performance specialist he'd worked with previously called Dr Ian Dunican.

Dunican, who is based in Australia, has helped a number of high level athletes across a number of sports fine-tune their sleeping patterns to optimise performance.

"First we did a full assessment to figure out if you're an early morning person, a late night person or you're kind of in-between," said Sullivan.

"And from that you figure out what's the best way to make the environment so when you get up to fight at 5am, your body thinks this is a normal day. We gave ourselves 10-12 weeks."

Edwards won the title off Kamaru Usman in stunning fashion in 2022 before retaining it in a rematch six months later, with his last defence coming against Colby Covington in December.

In preparation for those bouts, Edwards would usually wake up at about 08:00 BST, train at 10:00 and 18:00, before going to sleep at about midnight, according to Sullivan.

For this camp, on the advice of Dunican, Edwards has been gradually shifting his timings later over a 10-week period so as it gets closer to fight week, he will be waking up five hours later at 13:00 BST, training at 17:00-18:00 and 21:00-22:00, before going to bed at 05:00.

Edwards will keep the same routine before the fight, going to bed at about 05:00 on Saturday before waking up at about 13:00.

"You can't just wake up and go straight to it because it’s like when you travel between time zones or have a nap in the afternoon - you wake up and feel terrible because you're out of your body's natural rhythm," said Sullivan.

Edwards also had to create an artificial environment to help convince his body it was time to sleep, despite going to bed nearer to sunrise.

"We're natural animals, we see the sun and want to wake up, so we got blackout curtains, really high quality eye masks, and made sure he got sun exposure when he woke up," said Sullivan.

"Leon responded perfectly and it's all in his sleep data, the sleep quality, duration and respiratory rate - Dunican said he's probably in the top 0.5% of sleep subjects he's worked with."

During fight week, all media interviews, news conferences and weigh-ins are taking place about five hours later than usual to fit with the fighters' later sleep patterns.

Britain's Tom Aspinall, who defends his interim heavyweight title against American Curtis Blaydes in the co-main event, made light out of the situation.

Aspinall has been telling reporters he has been dipping his hands in petrol in the early hours of the morning to harden his knuckles.

When asked if the story was true, Aspinall shakes his head and bursts out laughing.

"I've got a lot of Traveller friends and they joke about it all the time, it's like an old gypsy way of doing stuff," Aspinall told BBC Sport.

"It's just a joke - I was hoping just for my Traveller friends to have a giggle because we joke about it all the time."

Other fighters, like Arnold Allen and Blaydes, meanwhile, have joked that they are sick of being asked about the timings of their fights.

Edwards appears to be the fighter who has prepared his sleep pattern the most and Sullivan says it is this attention to detail which makes him a champion.

"The crazy thing about it is for 80% of the roster this stuff probably doesn't make a difference, but at the tip of the spear in pound-for-pound contention, every little bit counts," said Sullivan.

"You need to know you've done every little thing possible so it's your best performance and that's Leon - his diet, strength and conditioning, technical skills, his sleep, how he manages his relationships, his time with people, everything.

"There's no 0.1% that's left unturned and that's why he's the champion."

www.bbc.com

UFC 304 in Manchester: Leon Edwards' methodical preparation for 5am fight

Britain's Leon Edwards has spent 10 weeks altering his body clock to prepare for the defence of his welterweight title against Belal Muhammad at UFC 304.
www.bbc.com
 
Liverpool's Pimblett signs new UFC deal

Liverpool's Paddy Pimblett has signed a new deal with the UFC.

The lightweight, 29, made his UFC debut in 2021 and has quickly become one of the biggest stars in the MMA promotion.

Pimblett's manager Graham Boylan made the announcement on X, saying his fighter was "very happy to see his value has been acknowledged and handsomely rewarded".

The length of the deal has not been specified, but Pimblett did previously say his bout at UFC 304 on Saturday was the final fight on his current deal.

"New contract signed," Pimblett said on the UFC's Embedded YouTube series., external

"For all them saying that I'm going anywhere, I'm not going nowhere."

Pimblett faces American rival Bobby Green at Manchester's Co-op Live and is a big favourite on home soil.

Pimblett will aim to make it six wins from six UFC fights while Green, 37, is competing in his 50th MMA fight.

Green has 32 wins, 15 losses, one draw and one co-contest on his record, making his pro debut in 2008.

On Friday, the UFC announced it had signed Cage Warriors star and Briton Jordan Vucenic.

The 28-year-old has 13 wins and just two losses on his record. Vucenic will fight Guram Kutateladze in Abu Dhabi on 3 August on his debut.


BBC
 
Edwards v Muhammad - big fight predictions

Britain's Leon Edwards defends his welterweight title against American Belal Muhammad at UFC 304 in Manchester this weekend.

Edwards, 32, will be making a third defence as he takes on 36-year-old Muhammad, who is on a nine-fight winning streak in completed contests.

The fight at the Co-op Live Arena is a rematch of their 2021 bout, which was deemed a no-contest following an accidental eye poke from Edwards which left Muhammad unable to continue.

The pair will make their walk to the octagon in the early hours of Sunday morning - predicted to be around 05:00 BST - with the UFC's scheduling catering largely to an American audience.

In the co-main event, Britain's Tom Aspinall will defend his interim heavyweight belt against 33-year-old American Curtis Blaydes in another rematch.

Aspinall, now 31, seriously injured his knee when losing to Blaydes in 2022.

You can follow live text commentary on BBC Sport website and app from 04:00 BST on Sunday.

Will Edwards and Aspinall retain their titles in front of a 23,500-capacity home crowd?

BBC Sport has asked around the world of MMA for fight predictions.

Irish welterweight Ian Garry: "I think Belal has a huge opportunity to go out there and bring it to Leon. Over five rounds Leon rarely gets the finish - I think we could see Belal go out there and try and dominate - but I just believe this will be a five-round decision that sways in the way of Leon. But I'm excited to see if there's an evolution and difference in Belal from his training camp. I think it's an exciting time for him."

Irish strawweight Shauna Bannon: "I think Leon Edwards will win by decision. I think it will be back and forth but Leon will get the win."

American heavyweight Curtis Blaydes: "I think it will be a hard-fought five rounds, I think Belal Muhammad will get the decision win. I think there's going to be a lot of wall grappling involved and just grappling overall, and that's where Belal shines."

British featherweight Nathaniel Wood: "Call me biased but I think they’re [Leon Edwards and Tom Aspinall] both going to get the job done and I think they're going to get it done in good fashion."

British UFC interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall: "Leon will knock him out. Later in the fight. I think it will be competitive but I don't think it will be an exciting fight. I think Leon will control range, be safe and doing his thing, and knock him out."

British strawweight Molly McCann: "I like Curtis and I love Tom but obviously I’d like to see a fellow North West boy keep the belt. I think it won't be a decision with them both, I think it will be a submission win. And I believe Leon will win by TKO but I'm not sure what round."

Media caption,

Featherweight Jack Shore tips Paddy Pimblett to wow Manchester crowd

British lightweight Paddy Pimblett: "Obviously I'm backing the fellow Englishmen, it goes without saying. I think Belal has got so much better since the first fight, but Leon was on his way to finishing him in that fight and I think he gets a finish. And Big Tom's out for revenge, but Curtis is his toughest test to date, stylistically."

American welterweight Belal Muhammad: "I think people are going to be surprised – Curtis Blaydes is so good everywhere: his wrestling, grappling, striking, and he's kind of hard to beat in a wrestling match-up. And I think I dominate Leon and I think that should be your headline – Belal dominated Leon."

British featherweight Arnold Allen: "Leon's the man, he's grown so much as a champion, he's got better and better. I think you're going to see him be a dominant champion for a while. With Tom, the heavyweight division is crazy, but Tom looks so good. Every time he's out he shocks again, so I think those guys are going to defend their belts."

American lightweight Bobby Green: "Tom is a new age heavyweight. I used to be a Sergei [Pavlovich] fan and he creamed Sergei. He understands fighting and what it should look like so I'm going with Tom. And then I'm gonna go with Leon, let's go."

British heavyweight Mick Parkin: "I think the two British guys are good. I don't know Edwards or train with him but I think he will win. Obviously I train with Tom and I wouldn't he surprised if in the first minute or two he wins again. Respect to Curtis Blaydes, I think he's a great fighter, but Tom is something special."

BBC
 
Briton Edwards loses UFC title in defeat by Muhammad

American Belal Muhammad shocked Britain's Leon Edwards with a dominant performance to win the welterweight title at UFC 304 in Manchester.

Muhammad, 36, out-grappled Edwards throughout the bout and was awarded victory by a unanimous decision, ending the 32-year-old's 12-fight win streak and dampening the atmosphere at the Co-op Live.

The win came after a 2021 bout between the pair was stopped and deemed a no-contest following an accidental eye poke from the Briton.

The fight took place just after 05:30 BST with the UFC catering to an American audience, and Edwards adding he felt "tired" during his post-fight interview.

"Not surprising, my body just felt tired from round one," said Edwards. "All week I've felt tired. Congratulations to Belal, we will be back."

Featuring two Britons in title fights, the show was the biggest to take place on English soil in UFC history and the first to occur at the 23,500 capacity arena since its opening in May.

Much of the build-up, however, had focused on the unusual starting time of 23:00 BST with many fighters - and in particular Edwards - altering their body clocks in advance on the advice of the UFC's Performance Institute., external

On a card that lacked eye-catching finishes during the middle stages, Paddy Pimblett sparked the fans into life at around 04:30 BST and the energy levels did not dip until Edwards defeat by Muhammad.

Muhammad spoils Manchester party

The 2021 bout between Edwards and Muhammad led to hostility which simmered during fight week, with the American saying he "hated" Edwards and accusing him of refusing to grant a rematch.

Muhammad, who went into the bout with Edwards unbeaten in 10 fights, has played the role of villain throughout fight week, embracing boos with a cheeky grin and teasing fans about England's Euro 2024 final defeat by Spain.

The heavy boos continued for Muhammad - the loudest of the night - as he made his walkout, dancing and joking with his team.

Edwards, who went into the bout as the current longest-reigning title holder in the UFC, looked focused as he walked to the octagon, shadowboxing and muttering words of encouragement to himself.

Following a roaring introduction which saw the crowd copying announcer Bruce Buffer word for word as he presented Edwards, Muhammad threw cold water on the atmosphere by securing a takedown early in the fight.

Edwards had great success defending the wrestling of Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington in previous title defences, but Muhammad showed he would pose different problems by out-grappling Edwards, throughout the first round.

The American continued to have the upper hand, expertly mixing up his jabs and takedown attempts, as "Rocky" chants from the fans failed to galvanise the Birmingham fighter.

The third round saw the shift in momentum Edwards needed as he secured a takedown of his own, before gaining back control of Muhammad and attempting a rear-naked choke, which was well defended.

But Muhammad would gain the upper hand again in the fourth, pressuring Edwards with jabs against the cage before landing another takedown and controlling the champion on the ground until the final round.

Sensing Edwards needed a spectacular finish, like he did against Usman in 2022 to win the title, the crowd tried to spur the Briton on as the pair locked eyes before the bell rang for the final five minutes.

But like he had for the majority of the fight, Muhammad secured another takedown before controlling the action on the ground, prompting swathes of fans to get up and leave the arena, knowing Edwards was destined for defeat.

"It sounds like all of the people booing have got a lot of tears coming out of their eyes. I've got my family in here. God first, always. This fight is for my family, my people and for Palestine," said Muhammad.

"I got the best team in the world, we study to the core, we get better. We've got the best strikers, these guys are killers. You might not know their names, but we've got a real champion in Chicago now.

"I'm Belal Muhammad. I'm my own man. Now the world sees it, they've got to respect it."

Edwards, who suffered his first defeat since losing to Kamaru Usman in 2015, then suggested he would like to return to action before the end of the year.

"One more this year, November or December I'm ready to go," he said.

BBC
 

UFC 304: Aspinall calls out Jones after retaining interim heavyweight title​


Tom Aspinall retained the UFC interim heavyweight championship with a punishing first-round knockout of Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304, setting up the English fighter for a potential colossal matchup with Jon Jones.

Aspinall rocked Blaydes with a big right hand that sent the challenger to the canvas before he finished him off with a series of rights to the head that ended the fight after just one minute of the first round – and put a blockbuster heavyweight bout into focus.

The 31-year-old Aspinall challenged Jones to a unification bout. Jones, widely regarded as one of the best MMA fighters of all time, has been sidelined by torn pectoral tendon since his last fight in March 2023. He is the reigning heavyweight champion but his absence forced the need for an interim champion. There are still hiccups – among them, Jones has at least one more title defense on deck, most likely against Stipe Miocic, and he must be cleared to compete.

"I’m the best finisher in the UFC, if I start to snowball you, you’re done,” Aspinall said. “Who wants to see Tom Aspinall v Jon Jones?” Aspinall told a roaring crowd in Manchester, in UFC’s first trip to the city since 2016. Aspinall (15-3) then looked straight into a camera and called out Jones. “I just think I’m better than you,” Aspinall said. “I know I can beat you in a fight.”

The victory was a vindication of sorts for Aspinall, whose only previous UFC loss came against Blaydes. That defeat came in 2022 when Aspinall was forced out of the fight after only 15 seconds when his knee gave way as he attempted a kick. Since his return he has beaten all three of his opponents in the first round.

“I had nothing against [Blaydes] personally, but we needed to put that one to bed,” Aspinall said. “It was a freak accident. Now, I’ve got my revenge. Thank God.”

In the other main event in Manchester, Belal Muhammad won the welterweight crown with a five-round unanimous decision victory against champion Leon Edwards. Muhammad, an American fighter out of Illinois, relished beating up the Englishman in his home country. “It sounds like all the people booing have a lot of tears in their eyes,” Muhammad said. “We’ve got a real champion in Chicago now.”

His face bloodied, Muhammad (24-3) dropped to his knees moments after he remained unbeaten in his 11th straight fight and had the championship belt wrapped around his waist. He hasn’t lost since 2019. Edwards (22-4) defeated Kamaru Usman to win the belt in 2022 and had two successful title defenses.

All four fighters in the two title fights wore the new gold gloves introduced at UFC 302 designed to minimize eye pokes.

In order to accommodate the traditional 10pm pay-per-view start time for an American east coast audience, the main card’s official start time was 3.33am in Manchester.

www.theguardian.com

UFC 304: Aspinall calls out Jones after retaining interim heavyweight title

Tom Aspinall retained the UFC interim heavyweight championship with a punishing first-round knockout of Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304
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UFC's £262m settlement for former fighters rejected​


The UFC has criticised a judge who rejected a financial settlement it had reached with former fighters.

In March the UFC's parent company the TKO Group agreed a £262m ($335m) settlement in two lawsuits that represented about 1,200 former UFC athletes.

The group of former fighters claimed the UFC's contracts suppressed athletes' abilities to negotiate other promotional options.

However, earlier this week in Nevada Judge Richard Boulware refused to accept the settlement and set a tentative trial date for October.

"We obviously disagree with this ruling," the UFC said.

"As we have said throughout this process, we believe strongly in the merits of our cases and are evaluating all our options, including, without limitation, an appeal, and have initiated discussions with plaintiffs' counsel who have expressed a willingness to engage in separate settlement discussions for the Le and Johnson cases."

There are two separate lawsuits, one filed by fighters Cung Le and Nate Quarry in 2014 representing fighters from 2010 to 2017, and a second filed by fighters such as Kajan Johnson that represents fighters from 2017 to the present.

The UFC had reached a joint settlement for both cases. The first lawsuit could begin on 28 October.

Plaintiffs in both cases say are they open to "re-engaging" with the UFC over a new settlement or moving forward with the trial.

The judge had previously said he felt the settlement number was too low.

The UFC merged with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in 2023 to form the TKO Group.

www.bbc.com

MMA: UFC's $335m settlement for former fighters rejected by Nevada judge

The UFC criticises a judge who rejected a financial settlement it had reached with former fighters.
www.bbc.com
 
'I have to earn spot' - Ferguson has no plans to retire

UFC fighter Tony Ferguson says he has no plans to retire after his bout with Michael Chiesa in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

Ferguson, 40, is on a seven-fight losing streak as he prepares for his 24th UFC contest, and 36th MMA bout overall.

The American made his pro debut in 2008 and admitted he has to earn his spot after a string of defeats.

"I don't feel like this is going to be my last fight. I love the UFC and this is where I'm going to stay," he said.

"So I have to earn that right. I do have seven losses. Who gets an eighth chance when it goes into this, except for me?

"I do want to be here. I don't want to go fight for another organisation. Where am I going to go?

"BKFC [Bare-Knuckle Fight Championship] and have Conor [McGregor] work for me again? No, I don't want to do that.

"Literally, this is home. It's always been home."

Chiesa, 36, too is on a losing streak - three in a row in his case - and another loss could spell the end of his time in the UFC.

The fight with Ferguson will be contested at welterweight.

Elsewhere on the card, Briton Jordan Vucenic makes his UFC debut against Guram Kutateladze.

Vucenic, 28, stepped in to fight Kutateladze on just a week's notice and has won four fights in a row since losing to PFL's new signing Paul Hughes in Cage Warriors.

BBC
 
UFC fighter survives drive-by shooting in Florida

UFC fighter Ramon Taveras says a "group of armed men" tried to shoot him outside his mother's house in Duval, Florida.

Taveras, 30, released doorbell footage of the incident on 29 July, which shows a car driving by and opening fire as he left the house.

The American, who was born and raised in Jacksonville, lost his brother to gun violence in 2019.

"His killers are yet to be caught. Now I find myself almost in the same situation," Taveras wrote on Instagram.

"My family feels unsafe and I fear for my children, who nearly lost their father, the person striving to change their lives.

"It is tragic that I have so much love for my city, yet I am compelled to leave."

There were 157 homicides in Jacksonville in 2023, with shootings accounting for 123 of those deaths.

Taveras reported the shooting to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.

"They assumed I was targeted due to 'gang violence' or a problem I caused. I don't bother anyone, I stay in my own lane, I focus on my career and family. Even after explaining this, they continued to insinuate that I was involved in something that brought this outcome upon myself," he said.

"Nobody is perfect and everyone has a past. However, I have changed significantly from who I was 10 years ago.

"For such an incident to occur out of nowhere is alarming. It makes me view my life and family through an entirely different lens.

"This is a daily reality in my city; I am not the first, nor will I be the last."

Taveras earned his spot on the UFC roster through Dana White's Contender Series last October.

The bantamweight officially opened his UFC account in January, beating Serhiy Sidey via split decision, to improve his record to ten wins and two losses.

Taveras, who is a father of four, says he now intends to leave Duval County.

BBC Sport has contacted the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office for comment.

BBC
 

Ngannou's MMA return date confirmed for October​


Francis Ngannou will face Renan Ferreira on his return to MMA on 19 October.

The Cameroon heavyweight will make his promotional debut for the Professional Fighters League (PFL) having previously been a champion in the UFC.

On the undercard, long-time Bellator featherweight champion Cris Cyborg will face PFL two-weight champion Larissa Pacheco.

Winners of both contests will receive the PFL's newly established "super-fights championship belt".

Ngannou, 37, has spent the past year concentrating on boxing, with fights against former world champions Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.

Ngannou lost both bouts, suffering a second-round knockout to Joshua in March after a split-decision points loss to Fury.

Brazil's Ferreira won the PFL's 2023 heavyweight tournament and had been touted as Ngannou's opponent since beating Bellator's heavyweight champion Ryan Bader in February.

Ferreira, 34, has 13 wins, three losses and three no-contests on his MMA record.

Eleven of his 13 wins have come via knockout.

Ngannou has 17 victories in 20 MMA fights and his last win was a points decision over Frenchman Ciryl Gane in the UFC in January 2022.

He left the UFC ranks at the end of his contract in 2023, citing a desire to switch to boxing.

Ngannou signed with the PFL last year and was named as the chairman of the PFL's upcoming African league, which launches in 2025.

The PFL uses a league format in the United States, with female British flyweight Dakota Ditcheva reaching the final of the 2024 flyweight tournament.

Ngannou's fight against Ferreira will be a one-off, with the Brazilian deciding against entering the 2024 heavyweight tournament as he waited for a bout with Ngannou.

Ngannou has become one of the most recognisable faces in boxing in the past year, but MMA - mixed martial arts - is where he really thrives.

What made him such an exciting prospect in boxing was his feared knockout power, which Fury tasted first hand in their encounter.

His meeting with Ferreira is expected to be a firefight, with the Brazilian also boasting an impressive knockout rate.

Ngannou burst on to the MMA scene in 2015 with a one-punch knockout in his UFC debut. He only picked up the sport two years previously.

He claimed the coveted heavyweight belt in 2021 with another one-punch knockout of Stipe Miocic.

His return to MMA will be a welcome boost to the PFL as its continues to try to rival the UFC.

Ngannou is by some distance the PFL's biggest star but the league has been made to wait, albeit patiently, for his boxing adventure to end.

It is unclear if Ngannou will continue to box, but at 37, it seems his fighting career, whether in the ring or in the cage, is in its final chapter.

www.bbc.com

MMA: Francis Ngannou gets October date for PFL return in Saudi Arabia

Francis Ngannou will make his return to MMA in a fight against Renan Ferreira on 19 October.
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Pimblett gains 42lb since UFC 304 victory

Paddy Pimblett has revealed he has piled on 42lb (19kg) since fighting at UFC 304 in Manchester last month.

Pimblett, 29, is well known for weight gains between fights, but is yet to miss weight for any of his UFC bouts.

The Liverpudlian weighed 156lb (70kg) before his lightweight bout against Bobby Green on July 27.

And on his return to training a few weeks later, Pimblett hopped on the scales.

Pimblett weighed just under 198lb (90kg), but said he is "back on the health kick" after previously ballooning up in weight between fights.

"I'm still a bit chubby. I'm not as fat as I have been but I'm still a bit chubby," he said on his YouTube channel., external

"We were eating all sorts. Chinese, Thai, steak, burgers. I’m still looking forward to some scrans here. But I just need to train. That’s the main thing.

"Obviously, eating copious amounts of food doesn’t help your weight, but when I don't train, I put weight on."

Pimblett produced a big submission win over Green at UFC 304, earning two fight night bonuses totalling £156,000 ($200,000) in the process.

The victory fired Pimblett into the top 15 of the lightweight rankings for the first time as a UFC fighter.

Pimblett, who has three losses and 22 wins on his record, is expected to fight at least once more this year.


BBC
 
Kavanagh earns UFC contract with spectacular knockout

Englishman Lone'er Kavanagh earned a UFC contract with a brilliant knockout of An Tuan Ho on Dana White's Contender Series on Tuesday night in Las Vegas.

Undefeated flyweight Kavanagh faced a fellow unbeaten prospect in Vietnam fighter Ho.

Kavanagh, 25, landed a pinpoint left hook in the first round, causing Ho to collapse to the canvas.

The referee swiftly stepped in to stop the contest.

Ho was treated for an extended amount of time by medical professionals in the octagon before rising to his feet.

Cage Warriors and the UFC confirmed afterwards that Kavanagh had secured a UFC contract with the victory.

"We did it," Kavanagh said on his Instagram. "The support has been so overwhelming."

White's Contender Series offers fighters the chance to compete for UFC contracts in one-off contests and has become an increasingly popular way for athletes to earn deals with the MMA promotion.

Kavanagh extended his record to 7-0 and is expected to make his UFC debut later this year.


BBC
 

UFC can't erase Ngannou's legacy - Adesanya​


Israel Adesanya says the UFC "can't erase Francis Ngannou's legacy" after it appeared to distance itself from the former heavyweight champion.

Cameroon's Ngannou left the UFC in 2023 and later joined the PFL.

And in a video published last week,, external the UFC edited out his name when Adesanya referenced himself, Ngannou and Kamaru Usman - all former title holders in the promotion - as the "three African kings".

Nigeria-born Adesanya was speaking before his fight against South African middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis on Saturday at UFC 305 in Perth, Australia.

"You can’t erase Francis' legacy in the UFC, it’s part of what we’ve done. I know he fights for the PFL now but it's history - trying not to talk about it is silly," said Adesanya.

"I know there's this competition between other promotions and the UFC but you can never erase history - the streets will always remember.

"It's just a lot of chest puffing. The UFC are smart people, this is just business in the UFC. They'll rectify it eventually."

Ngannou, 37, was stripped of his UFC heavyweight title upon his departure from the organisation last year, citing a "lack of freedom" as reasoning behind failing to agree a new contract.

In the past 12 months, he has fought and lost to Britons Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in high-profile boxing bouts, and will make his PFL debut against Renan Ferreira on 19 October.

Adesanya, who moved to New Zealand at the age of 10, is looking to regain his middleweight crown at Perth's RAC Arena in the first all-African title bout in UFC history.

The 35-year-old lost his belt to American Sean Strickland last September before taking a break from the sport, revealing that competing in five title bouts in 16 months had taken a toll on his mind and body.

In January, Du Plessis defeated Strickland and is set to make the first defence of his championship against Adesanya.

The 30-year-old joined the UFC in 2020 and has won all seven fights on his way to becoming the UFC's first title holder from South Africa.

If Adesanya beats Du Plessis, he will become just the second fighter in UFC history to become a three-time champion in the same division after Randy Couture achieved the feat at heavyweight between 1997-2007.

www.bbc.com

Israel Adesanya says the UFC 'can't erase Francis Ngannou's legacy'

Israel Adesanya says the UFC "can't erase Francis Ngannou's legacy" after it appeared to distance itself from the former heavyweight champion.
www.bbc.com
 
Du Plessis v Adesanya - UFC's 'battle for Africa'

The UFC has placed the bitter cultural dispute between Dricus du Plessis and Israel Adesanya front and centre of its build-up to the promotion's first ever all-African title fight in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Adesanya, who has talked of his "beautiful childhood" in Lagos before moving to New Zealand as a 10-year-old, has accused Du Plessis of disrespecting the so-called 'African Kings'.

The title was one given to the 35-year-old alongside Kamaru Usman and Francis Ngannou when the trio all held UFC belts.

"Did those belts ever go to Africa?" Du Plessis retorted, having become South Africa's first UFC champion in January.

The 30-year-old believes the fact that Adesanya, Usman and Ngannou all live and train overseas lessens their right to call themselves African champions.

After Du Plessis beat Robert Whittaker in July last year he squared up to Adesanya in the octagon in an altercation one commentator dubbed "the battle for Africa".

Adesanya, who fights out of New Zealand, has said beating Du Plessis is more important than winning a middleweight title he has twice held before.

His opponent has repeatedly countered that he is the true African champion because he is based on the continent.

As well as a compelling contest for bragging rights, the fight carries significance for the future of mixed martial arts (MMA) in Africa, amid UFC president Dana White's plans to hold events there.

Africa's future fighters

At the Wellness Martial Arts Academy inside the National Stadium in Lagos, coach John Anene has seen fighters eager to follow in the footsteps of Adesanya and Usman, who is nicknamed the 'Nigerian Nightmare'.

For now, he says, MMA is progressing rather than thriving in Nigeria, with no existing system to train fighters to become rounded across key skills such as striking and groundwork.

"Facilities are still a challenge for most of us," Anene told BBC Sport Africa.

"But do we have athletes who can make us proud? Yes, we have a lot of strong people here."

Ngannou's charitable foundation built and opened Cameroon's first full MMA gym in 2019, and Usman announced plans in 2022 to create a facility at the University of Lagos.

Du Plessis trains at the CIT Performance Institute in Pretoria, where coach Stephan de la Rey says his success has had an "unbelievable" impact on public perceptions of the sport.

He has seen a boost in both participation and confidence that newcomers can build a career in MMA.

"The number of young kids coming through the door and the number of memberships because of him is a fairytale story," said De la Rey.

Nkazimulo Zulu, a two-weight champion for South Africa's Extreme Fighting Championship, says Du Plessis gives personal support to athletes at the CIT.

Zulu is intent on becoming a UFC champion and is urging the government to help, adding that MMA could become as big as rugby union in South Africa.

"We just need our government to invest in sport because we're going to have a lot of champions," he told BBC Sport Africa.

"This gym has proved that we can produce champions and world-class fighters.

"It takes a lot of young boys from the street who are doing wrong things. I used to have a short temper but MMA has taught me discipline."

UFC eyes 'incredible' event

The UFC sees Africa as a huge market with a rapidly growing audience but, despite long talking up the idea, the organisation is yet to hold an event on the continent during its 31-year history.

Du Plessis and Adesanya's meeting in Perth this weekend will be the latest UFC card to be hosted by Australia, and it has also repeatedly visited Asia, Europe, South America and the Middle East.

Australia are hosting a rugby union match against South Africa earlier on Saturday, and the involvement of Super Sport, one of the UFC's broadcast partners in Africa, has led to plans for crossover events.

One of the first of those will involve Springboks icons Siya Kolisi and Eben Etzebeth, who will accompany Du Plessis to the octagon ahead of his battle with Adesanya.

In the build-up, White has said that a fight will take place in South Africa if Du Plessis wins.

"It is something Dana and the team have talked about a lot over the last year or so, and there is certainly a determination for it to happen soon," UFC executive David Shaw said of their plans for Africa.

"We have seen our fanbase in Africa grow over the years, with South Africa and Nigeria being two of the stand-out countries.

"Adesanya is a real star - not just in Africa but on a global level.

"We’re looking forward to delivering an incredible event [in Africa] which will certainly have a significant impact on the region."

UFC 305: Raising a hand for Africa

Adesanya lost his last fight, against Sean Strickland, by unanimous decision

Predictions on who will win depend on which gym you are in - although Du Plessis and Adesanya's allies tend to be admirers of both fighters.

Should Adesanya have his hand raised in victory, it will be above a tattoo on his chest showing an outline of Africa with Nigeria highlighted.

If Du Plessis wins his 10th fight in a row, talk will intensify of South Africa becoming the first African UFC hosts.

Anene feels the focus on Du Plessis and Adesanya's quarrel over Africa is a marketing strategy - but a good one.

"A lot will get to know about MMA in Africa through this fight," he said.

Top-ranked South African strawweight Bokang Masunyane, who once lived at a charity centre for vulnerable youths in Johannesburg and trains at Du Plessis' gym, agrees.

"It's beautiful because he lives in and is fighting out of Africa.

"The eyes are turning a lot more onto African fighters, which is amazing."

BBC
 

UFC star Merab Dvalishvili leaps into the crowd and grabs fan by the HAIR after being heckled at MMA event​


Merab Dvalishvili - the world's No. 1 bantamweight fighter - was spotted confronting a heckler in the stands at an MMA event, as he gave him the scare of his life.

The 33-year-old Georgian was sitting front row with his entourage at the Chris Jones Invitational in Las Vegas on Friday, when a fan in the crowd shouted some abuse at him at the same time that Sean O'Malley - Dvalishvili's next opponent - came up on the jumbotron.

The taunting was enough for 'The Machine' to get up and take matters into his own hands, as viral footage on social media shows him climbing a gate before jumping onto another and finding the heckler in his section.

After making it through all the barriers separating himself from the troll, Dvalishvili walks up the stairs while the heckler can be seen repeatedly saying 'No, no, no, no.'

Fans around the pair can also be seen recording the escalation while the heckler has his heart in his mouth.
But, upon arrival at the troublemaker's seat, Dvalishvili takes a second to stare at the guy, who's clearly in distress, before grabbing his hair and pulling it as he ended up containing his anger.

Security can then be seen guiding Dvalishvili back to his seat.

UFC fans on social media couldn't believe it.

'Difference between a warrior and a keyboard warrior,' a person pointed out on Instagram.

'Lol dude sht his pants ))),' someone else said.

'That was a million dollar situation right there,' another user wrote. 'seeing as it's on that many cameras I don't think having the best lawyer in the world would save that lawsuit.'

A different individual joked: 'Merab next in line to star in anti bullying campaign.'

Dvalishvili's fight against O'Malley will take place on September 14 at UFC 306.

Dvalishvili is currently 17-4-0.

He's only lost once by submission in his career against Ricky Simon back in 2018.

www.dailymail.co.uk

UFC star Merab Dvalishvili confronts heckler at MMA event

The 33-year-old Georgian was sitting front row with his entourage at the Chris Jones Invitational in Las Vegas on Friday, when a fan in the crowd shouted some abuse at him.
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Du Plessis submits Adesanya to retain UFC title

Dricus du Plessis submitted Israel Adesanya in the fourth round of a captivating contest to retain his middleweight title at UFC 305 in Perth, Australia.

The South African, 30, rocked Nigeria-born New Zealander Adesanya with a right hook before dragging him down and securing a rear-naked choke.

Following the contest, Du Plessis paid tribute to Adesanya as the pair settled their differences after a heated build-up.

"To share this octagon with a legend... this man has done so much for this sport and I'm really sorry it came across that I disrespected he was from Africa - it was never my intention. Tonight Africa won regardless," said Du Plessis.

"It was an honour for me to share this cage with a legend like that. I have the utmost respect for him, an ultimate warrior. Believe me, I do not want to be kicked by that man again."

The contest saw a bitter build-up after Du Plessis said he is the "first real African champion", clarifying that he resides on the continent while former champions Adesanya, Kamaru Usman (both born in Nigeria) and Francis Ngannou, who grew up in Cameroon before relocating to France, had moved elsewhere.

Du Plessis, who joined the UFC in 2020, won the title off Sean Strickland in January and was making the first defence of his belt.

Former UFC middleweight champion Adesanya, meanwhile, was fighting for the first time in 11 months after taking a break from the sport, citing mental and physical fatigue after contesting five title bouts in 16 months.

The pair appeared relaxed on their way to the octagon as Adesanya briskly danced his way into the RAC arena.

Du Plessis, meanwhile, was walked out by Springbok greats Eben Etzebeth and Siya Kolisi, with South Africa beating Australia 30-12 in Perth the previous day.

The first round saw both fighters find success with Adesanya avoiding Du Plessis' blitzes forward and landing a crunching right hook to the body, with the South African responding with leg kicks.

Du Plessis utilised his wrestling in the second round, taking Adesanya down three times with the two-time champion defending submission attempts well and regaining his feet.

The momentum then shifted in Adesanya's favour as repeated hooks to the body saw Du Plessis start to breathe heavily, with an eye-catching elbow being the highlight of an array of strikes.

But the South African would have the final say and wobbled Adesanya twice with a pair of hooks in the fourth round, before finishing the contest on the ground.

I'm not leaving - Adesanya

Following the fight the pair paid respect to each other, embracing and shaking hands after a long exchange of words before Adesanya raised Du Plessis' hand in victory.

"I was fighting one of, if not the greatest striker ever in this division, I needed that takedown. At this level it's hard to keep people down and this man is the king of getting back up," said Du Plessis.

"I said I'd come in here to die for this belt and I'm alive right now and that's just a bonus. And I said I'd come here to take a life if I had to. Luckily we didn't have to do either of those things. Here I am, still champion, baby."

Adesanya, meanwhile, who failed in his attempt to become the first ever three-time UFC middleweight champion, said he would be back, despite successive defeats for the first time in his MMA career.

"I'm disappointed in myself but at the same time I'm proud. This is the best I've ever felt, the best I've ever looked, I just fought the better man on the night and I give him respect for that," said Adesanya.

"I know you all want to see me down and want to see me lose but watch this - I'm not leaving."

Earlier on the card, Scotland-born Australian Casey O'Neill defeated Brazil's Luana Santos by unanimous decision to end a two-fight losing streak.

O'Neill, 26, celebrated by copying Australian breakdancer Rachael Gunn's routine from the Paris Olympics.

Gunn - who is known as B-girl Raygun - went viral during the Games earlier this month and has said the criticism she received for her performance has been "devastating".

Meanwhile, videos have surfaced, external of Georgian bantamweight Merab Dvalishvili confronting a heckler at an event in Las Vegas on Friday.

Footage shows Dvalishvili, who challenges American Sean O'Malley for the title at UFC 306 next month, jumping the railing, walking up some stairs towards the fan and grabbing his head, before being walked away by security.

BBC
 

Africa won tonight, say Adesanya and Du Plessis​


Israel Adesanya points to an encounter about four months ago which can now sum up his rivalry with Dricus du Plessis.

"There was a South African guy in my taxi. And he said: 'You know, when you and Dricus fight, even if you win or he wins, I feel like I win'," said Adesanya.

"And I said 'exactly'. And then we took a picture, it was a beautiful moment."

The build-up to Nigeria-born New Zealander Adesanya's fight with South Africa's Du Plessis at UFC 305 - the first all-African title bout in UFC history - had been sour.

Du Plessis, 30, claimed he was the UFC's "first real African champion" - a comment which riled two-time UFC middleweight champion Adesanya, who once held titles alongside fellow Nigerian Kamaru Usman and Cameroon's Francis Ngannou.

Du Plessis clarified his comment by saying he is the first champion that still resides on the continent, with Adesanya, Usman and Ngannou all moving elsewhere, but the bitterness remained during a charged pre-fight news conference.

But, after a captivating main event in Perth, Australia where Du Plessis submitted the 35-year-old Adesanya to retain his middleweight title, the pair settled their differences before agreeing Africa was the real victor in the bout.

"I think Africa won tonight and as I said earlier, he's going to inspire the next generation of African fighters, just the way me, Kamaru Usman and Francis Ngannou inspired him to become an African champion," said Adesanya.

After the fight Du Plessis gave Adesanya his jacket, which is embroidered with a South African flag, as a show of respect.

He also referenced former South African president and activist Nelson Mandela, who helped fight for racial equality in the country.

"Izzy and I won't be friends because on a personal level we don't see eye to eye but warrior to warrior, after spending that time in the octagon with him, you can't not respect that man," said Du Plessis.

"To give him that jacket was a token of appreciation, a thank you for this memory. Win or lose I was going to give him the jacket as reminder of an all-African main event.

"It means the world to me that sport brings people together. The great Nelson Mandela, that is what he said - 'sport unites people in a way that politics can never do', and that is a fact. That's what you saw tonight.

The UFC is yet to host an event in Africa but the organisation says it is something it wants to schedule sooner rather than later.

Speaking after the event in Perth, UFC executive David Shaw referenced UFC 304 in Manchester last month, which took place through the night and early morning to serve an American audience.

The event in Perth was also scheduled to serve a US audience, with the preliminary card starting at 08:30am Eastern Australian time.

He said a pay-per-view event in South Africa would likely mirror the event in Manchester because of similar time zones in the country and that raises questions for the UFC.

"The Dricus situation is tough, he's a champion so are going to take a pay-per-view there? We've just done Manchester so it's possible but we also want to make a good first impression," said Shaw.

"Coming to Africa for the first time, do we want to do an event in the middle of the night?

"The short answer is we've got a few different countries we are targeting, nothing to report right now, but this is definitely a 2025 thing, we don’t want to wait much longer."

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UFC 305: 'Africa won tonight', say Israel Adesanya and Dricus du Plessis

Following a heated build-up to their fight at UFC 305, Israel Adesanya and Dricus du Plessis agree that Africa was the real winner of the night after the pair settled their differences.
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Jones wants Aspinall fight – White

UFC president Dana White says he believes Tom Aspinall will fight Jon Jones if the American is successful in his comeback bout against Stipe Miocic.

England's Aspinall has repeatedly called for a fight with heavyweight champion Jones since capturing the interim belt last November.

Aspinall, 31, has since successfully defended his interim title, but he is in the unusual position of being passed over for the next shot at Jones as the fight with Miocic was made before Jones picked up an injury last October.

"I believe that fight happens if Jon Jones beats Stipe," White said in a news conference on Tuesday.

"Dislike him, whatever your beef is with Jon Jones, knock yourself out.

"There's no way in hell that Jon Jones doesn't want to fight Aspinall. That I guarantee you."

Manchester fighter Aspinall has won his last three fights by first-round knockout while two-time heavyweight champion Miocic, 42, has not fought since 2021.

This week Jones, 37, again teased he would retire if he defeats Miocic.

The heavyweight match-up is expected to happen later this year, with the UFC holding pay-per-view events on 16 November at Madison Square Garden in New York and on 7 December in Las Vegas.

In regard to potentially fighting on after Miocic, Jones said on social media: "You never know, maybe the UFC will offer me a deal I can't refuse."

White said the UFC would do "everything we can" to make Jones v Aspinall happen.

Two-weight champion Jones is widely considered the greatest UFC fighter of all time despite a chequered history.

Jones has served two doping suspensions in his UFC career as well as being involved in several unsavoury incidents outside of the cage including receiving a conviction for a hit and run involving a pregnant woman in 2015.

BBC
 
Fighting on 'best way of honouring my son' – Ngannou

Francis Ngannou says he considered retiring following the death of his son earlier this year, but has chosen to fight on as it is "the best way of honouring him".

Cameroon's Ngannou, who was speaking at a news conference to promote his PFL heavyweight debut against Renan Ferreira on 19 October, posted on X in April that his 15-month-old son Kobe had passed away.

The 37-year-old's bout with Brazil's Ferreira in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia marks his return to MMA and first fight since defeat by British boxer Anthony Joshua in March.

"Fighting for me is a lifestyle. I questioned myself if I should continue or retire, but I didn’t want my son to be the reason for me to do that," said Ngannou.

"It’s become a new purpose for me. I decided to make a positive out of his 15 months of living. To find the strength out of him, as a motivation, to keep going instead of to quit.

"I think this is the best way of honouring him."

Following the news conference Ngannou and Ferreira, both sporting sunglasses, faced off either side of YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, who was a compere at the event.

Ngannou told Ferreira "you’re going to face a real champion now", prompting laughter between the pair before they sized each other up.

Their fight is billed as the 'Battle of the Giants', with the winner receiving PFL's newly established "super-fights championship belt".

The co-main event pits long-time Bellator featherweight title-holder Cris Cyborg against PFL two-weight champion Larissa Pacheco.

The fight card in Saudi Arabia will be the latest in a string of high-profile sporting events to take place in the Kingdom.

But the country continues to face criticisms for using sport to divert attention away from its poor human rights record - a process known as sportswashing.

Always the plan to return to MMA - Ngannou

Ngannou has won 17 of his 20 MMA bouts, with 12 of his victories coming via knockout, but he has not competed in the sport since defending his UFC heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane in January 2022.

He was stripped of the title a year later after failing to agree a new contract, before joining the PFL.

He is yet to debut in the promotion after turning his attention to boxing, losing to Britons Tyson Fury and Joshua in two high-profile bouts.

Ngannou says it was "always the plan" to return to MMA following his defeat by Joshua, but has not ruled out returning to boxing after the fight with Ferreira.

"I’m still looking for boxing matches. I don’t have one yet, I think I even have a few left in me. Right now I’m focusing on [Ferreira]. I don’t know what’s next, but I’ll get this one first and see the possibilities," said Ngannou.

Ferreira won the PFL's 2023 heavyweight tournament before defeating Bellator's heavyweight champion Ryan Bader in February.

He has won 13 of his 19 fights, delivering 11 knockouts, and paid tribute to Ngannou when questioned by the media.

"It's a great honour to be here. I’m ecstatic with this opportunity and it’s an honour to face somebody like Francis Ngannou," said Ferreira.

"Francis has had a tough year in his life, but the toughest challenge in his life and in his year is going to be me right here.

"He has a big problem in front of him. I can wrestle him, knock him out, take him down to the ground and submit him."

BBC
 
Britain's Loughnane wins to reach $1m PFL final

Britain's Brendan Loughnane beat Kai Kamaka III by split decision in Washington DC to reach the PFL Finals and the opportunity to fight for $1m (£756, 880).

Loughnane was narrowly out-struck by American featherweight Kamaka in a highly technical contest but was the more efficient fighter, landing the more damaging shots throughout.

The 34-year-old will fight for his second PFL featherweight title after triumphing in 2022 to become the only Briton to win a belt in the promotion.

He will face Russian Timur Khizriev in the final after he beat Brazil's Gabriel Braga by unanimous decision.

The 2024 PFL Finals will take place later this year, with the date and venue yet to be confirmed.

Following a close opening few minutes where the pair traded leg kicks and rapid punch combinations, Manchester's Loughnane took control with a spinning back kick to the body which hurt Kamaka.

The shot forced the 29-year-old back away, but Loughnane closed the distance, dropping him with a number of knees from the clinch before being saved by the bell.

That moment proved to be the most significant of the fight in a close contest where the pair traded multiple combinations.

Kamaka did his best work with his hands, stepping in to land quick one-twos, while Loughnane excelled with his feet, continuing to attack with spinning back kicks and damaging the American's calves with repeated strikes.

Two of the judges scored the fight 29-28 apiece, before Loughnane raised his arm in victory, guessing correctly he would be announced as the winner when hearing the third judge had ruled it 30-27 in his favour.

Victory gave Loughnane the 30th win of his 35-fight career and ended Kamaka's five-fight win streak.

He is the second Mancunian to reach the 2024 PFL Finals after Dakota Ditcheva beat Jena Bishop earlier this month to reach the women's flyweight showpiece.

Ditcheva can become Britain's first female MMA world champion with victory, while Loughnane could become the nation's first two-time PFL world champion.

BBC
 
Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov has denied taking "steroids" as he prepares to make his return from a doping suspension on 7 September in California

Nurmagomedov, 26, was banned for six months by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) after failing a drug test in October.

His Bellator 300 win over Brent Primus was changed to a no contest and Nurmagomedov fights for the first time since then, defending his belt against Alexandr Shabliy.

"It was medication," Nurmagomedov told MMA Junkie, external about the failed test.

"If it were a steroid, they have to say, 'this was a steroid'. And they have to give me more time for suspension. They have to give me like one year, two years, and we have examples from other guys."

Details of Nurmagomedov's failed test were never released publicly, and he was not stripped of the Bellator lightweight title.

At the time, Bellator did not do its own drug test programme, instead relying on different State Commissions in the US to conduct drug testing around events.

Since then the Professional Fighters League (PFL) has purchased Bellator and joined forces with the US Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) in 2023 for year-round testing.

The Dagestani fighter, cousin of UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov, remains undefeated with 17 wins on his record.

Nurmagomedov was heavily criticised by the likes of Primus in the wake of the suspension, but says he "doesn't care" about his critics.

"I didn't do nothing. I know who I am. I never did something like steroids or something like that," he said.

"People only talk about this because they cannot win [against] us, and they have to say something, and they chose this way - 'Oh, this guy does steroids'.

"OK, guys. You can talk whatever you want, but who cares?"

Nurmagomedov competes on the PFL's continuing Bellator Champion Series, which began after the MMA promotions merged.

Source: BBC
 
CONOR MCGREGOR has revealed who he wants to fight in the bare-knuckle boxing ring

The UFC superstar became a part-owner of the fast-rising bare-knuckle promotion Bareknuckle Fighting Championship earlier this year, much to the surprise of many.

And the former two-division champion has hinted that he one day wants to test himself in the gruesome world of bare-knuckle fighting.

McGregor, 36, wouldn't be short of opponents willing to welcome him to the bloody and brutal sport.

Although he seemingly already has one in mind - former UFC lightweight and BKFC newbie Jeremy Stephens.

Stephens was infamously on the receiving end of a viral trolling from McGregor at the UFC 205 pre-fight press conference in September 2016.

The saying, which is widely regarded as one of McGregor's best press conference lines, has followed Stephens ever since.

And Stephens believes it's not beyond the realms of possibility that a bare-knuckle straightener between himself and The Notorious comes to fruition.

When asked about potentially fighting the Irishman, he said: "Ya never know. Stay tuned."

McGregor, 35, is currently under contract with the UFC so a fight in BKFC is out of the question unless the promotion gives him their blessing - which is incredibly unlikely.

The former two-division champion has two fights left on his current deal with MMA's top organisation and talks over a new deal took place before the cancellation of his clash with Michael Chandler.

www.thesun.co.uk

McGregor wants to fight forgotten MMA ace in new sport after UFC deal runs out

CONOR MCGREGOR has revealed who he wants to fight in the bare-knuckle boxing ring. The UFC superstar became a part-owner of the fast-rising bare-knuckle promotion Bareknuckle Fighting Championship …
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UFC legend Johnson retires

UFC legend Demetrious Johnson has retired from mixed martial arts.

The inaugural UFC flyweight champion in 2012, Johnson successfully defended the title 11 times before losing it in 2018.

Nicknamed 'Mighty Mouse', the 38-year-old American held the flyweight title in the ONE Championship for two years until announcing his decision during ONE 168 in Denver on Friday.

"They wanted me to leave the belt in here. I ain’t doing that," said Johnson.

"I came into this sport as a champ. I'm leaving as a champ too."

Johnson ends his career with a professional record of 25 wins, four defeats and one draw.

After his announcement, he was named as the first inductee into the new ONE Championship Hall of Fame.

www.bbc.com

Demetrious Johnson retires: Ex-UFC champion quitsv MMA at 38

American Demetrious Johnson, UFC flyweight champion from 2012 to 2018, retires from mixed martial arts at the age of 38.
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Nurmagomedov retains Bellator lightweight title

Usman Nurmagomedov defended his lightweight Bellator title with a unanimous decision win against Alexander Shabliy in California.

The 26-year-old was making his return to the cage after being banned for six months by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) for failing a drug test in October 2023.

Despite the failed test, Nurmagomedov was not stripped of his lightweight title and Shabliy, 31, proved a difficult opponent during the second defence of his crown.

Shabliy defended well and did not allow Nurmagomedov any easy openings in what proved to be a tactical, if unspectacular, battle.

Nurmagomedov secured a takedown in the fourth round when he caught Shabliy with a head kick.

Shabily fell behind with the judges' scoring and his reluctance to engage ultimately cost him, with the judges scoring 50-45, 49-46 and 49-46 in Nurmagomedov's favour.

The win extended Nurmagomedov's unbeaten record to 18 fights, with zero defeats and one no contest.

"To be honest, this guy is so tough," Nurmagomedov said in his post-fight interview.

"Alexander Shabliy I think is one of the best lightweights right now in the world. It was a very tough fight for me."

The defeat ended Shabliy's nine-fight winning streak and was his first loss since 2016.

BBC
 
Dvalishvili upsets O'Malley to win title at UFC Noche

Merab Dvalishvili upset Sean O'Malley to win the bantamweight title in a unanimous-decision win at UFC Noche in Las Vegas.

Georgia's Dvalishvili, 33, out-wrestled American O'Malley in a typically relentless display of grappling in the first sporting event to take place at the Sphere.

The bout saw some bizarre moments as Dvalishvili was warned by the referee for arguing with O'Malley's coach in the first round and kissing his opponent in the second.

The victory extends Dvalishvili's win streak to 11 with O'Malley - regarded by many as the next global star of the UFC - losing his belt in his second defence.

"Today I'm the best fighter in the UFC, I prove [it]," said an emotional Dvalishvili.

"Nothing surprised me, I can go 15 rounds like this. He's a great fighter but I made him look normal."

The co-main event saw Kyrgyzstan's Valentina Shevchenko grind out a unanimous-decision win over Mexico's Alexa Grasso to regain the flyweight title.

The bout, which was first women's trilogy bout in UFC history, saw Shevchenko dominate on the ground throughout as the 36-year-old became a two-time champion.

The event, which cost the UFC $20m (£15.3m) to host at the Sphere, the entertainment venue which describes itself as a "world-first immersive destination" and was rebranded as UFC Noche in honour of Mexican Independence Day.

A movie, split into chapters, played throughout the evening on the enormous LED screens coating the inside of arena which paid tribute to Mexico, its history and culture.

Sphere sparkles as Dvalishvili dominates

UFC president Dana White vowed to put on the “greatest live combat sports show anybody has ever seen" in the build-up to the event, as he complimented the Sphere on being "the star of the show".

The event saw glittering holograms of the fighters towering over the fans, while bouts played out in front of elaborate backdrops, ranging from flame-lit Aztec pyramids to a futuristic-looking Mexico City.

At other points in the night, animated marigold petals and confetti rained down on the audience as videos paid tribute to the country's combat sports history.

O'Malley, 29, was chosen as the face of the ambitious event but in Dvalishvili faced an opponent who expertly nullified his dangerous counter-striking style.

In the opening seconds of the fight Dvalishvili's attention strangely turned to O'Malley's coach Tim Welch as the pair exchanged words, before both being warned by referee Herb Dean.

Dvalishvili showed his early intentions by using constant footwork to keep O'Malley at range, before choosing his moments to secure finely-timed takedowns.

After controlling O'Malley on the ground for much of the second round, the fight saw its second odd moment as Dvalishvili repeatedly kissed O'Malley on the back during a submission attempt.

His actions brought another warning from Dean, as O'Malley responded angrily with a strike to the side of the head.

O'Malley had his best round in the third, landing jabs and a knee, but Dvalishvili was only momentarily discharged from his gameplan.

The Georgian saw out the fight in dominant fashion, pressuring O'Malley and taking him down multiple times before the end of the fifth round, to secure his first UFC title.

Shevchenko regains flyweight crown

Last March, Grasso, 31, stunned Shevchenko by ending her run of seven straight flyweight title defences.

The pair fought in a rematch last September with Grasso retaining her belt in a draw, before they faced off as opposing coaches on the reality TV show the Ultimate Fighter earlier this year.

Their historic meeting at the Sphere saw Grasso go in as a pre-fight favourite for first time in the trilogy but she had little answer to Shevchenko's all-round game.

Shevchenko displayed slick counter striking, mixed with takedowns and control time on the ground, as she won every round against the Mexican.

Grasso's best chance of victory came with armbar and triangle submission attempts off her back, but despite a couple of nervy moments for Shevchenko, she defended well to quickly regain control of the fight.

Grasso, with her hands on her hips, grew more frustrated between rounds and when the final bell rang, walked despondently over to her corner as Shevchenko cried out in delight.

"The gameplan was to go in and fight to the end, do everything to win the fight," said Shevchenko.

"I want to say thank you to Alexa and her team because this rivalry is what people wanted to see from female martial arts, this will stay in history forever.”

BBC
 
Jones to defend title against Miocic in November

Jon Jones will defend his heavyweight title against former champion Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 in New York on 16 November.

The American pair were due to fight last November but the fight was cancelled after 37-year-old Jones suffered a pectoral injury in the build-up.

Meanwhile, Michael Chandler will face Brazil's Charles Oliveira in the co-main event.

American Chandler was set to face Conor McGregor in June, but the fight was called off after the Irishman suffered a toe injury.

Chandler, 38, said in a post on Instagram, external he did not want to wait any longer for McGregor's return but is open to facing him once he "gets his house in order".

Former double champion McGregor, 36, has not fought since breaking his leg in a defeat by Dustin Poirier in 2021.

The fights were confirmed by the UFC during its broadcast of UFC Noche in Las Vegas.

Following the cancellation of Jones and 42-year-old Miocic's fight last November, Britain's Tom Aspinall stepped in on short notice to knock out Russia's Serghei Pavlovich to win the interim heavyweight belt.

Aspinall, 31, has repeatedly called for a unification fight with Jones, but the 37-year-old and the UFC have remained intent on rescheduling the bout with former two-time champion Miocic.

In July, UFC president Dana White confirmed Aspinall would face the winner of Jones and Miocic, but there is speculation the pair could retire following their fight at Madison Square Garden.

BBC
 
Eblen v Edwards added to PFL Ngannou v Ferreira card

Briton Fabian Edwards' rematch with Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen will take place on 19 October in Saudi Arabia.

The bout has been added to the PFL Battle of the Giants event in Riyadh, which is headlined by heavyweights Francis Ngannou and Renan Ferreira.

Edwards, 31, was stopped by American Eblen in the third round of their title fight last September.

The rematch was originally scheduled for the Bellator Champions Series in London last week, but was postponed this month.

Birmingham's Edwards, who is the younger brother of UFC star Leon, is aiming to become the first English Bellator champion since Liam McGeary in 2015.

Eblen is undefeated, winning all 15 of his fights, and has defended the belt twice since winning it against Gegard Mousasi in 2022.


www.bbc.com

Johnny Eblen v Fabian Edwards added to PFL Battle of the Giants card in October

Briton Fabian Edwards' rematch with Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen will take place on 19 October in Saudi Arabia on the PFL Battle of the Giants card.
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UFC agrees new £281m payment to former fighters

The UFC's parent company TKO Group has agreed a $375m (£281m) settlement in relation to one of two legal cases affecting about 1,200 former UFC athletes.

The group of former fighters claim the UFC's contracts suppressed athletes' abilities to negotiate other promotional options.

TKO Group's initial settlement in March of £263m was rejected by the judge, Richard Boulware, who said the figure was too low.

In a statement, TKO Group said it believes "the new agreement addresses Judge Boulware's stated concerns" regarding the Cung Le case.

A new court date of 3 February 2025 was set and the settlement will now have to be signed off by the judge.

TKO Group maintain they felt the original settlement was "fair" but said it was "in the interest of all parties to bring this litigation to a close".

The anti-trust lawsuits had sought up to $1.6bn (£1.25bn) in damages.

There are two separate legal claims, one filed by fighters Le and Nate Quarry in 2014 representing fighters who competed from 2010 to 2017, and a second filed by fighters including Kajan Johnson that represents fighters from 2017 to the present.

The 2014 claim alleges the UFC attempted "to acquire and maintain monopsony power [where there is only one buyer or client] in the market for elite professional MMA fighter services".

TKO Group said that in regards to the Jung case, a motion to dismiss remains "pending".

The UFC merged with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in 2023 to form the TKO Group.


BBC
 

McKenna has new Brazilian opponent for UFC return​

British strawweight Cory McKenna has a new opponent for her return to action on 12 October at UFC Fight Night 244 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

She was due to face Brazil's Polyana Viana at UFC Fight, but will instead take on Julia Polastri, also of Brazil.

Welsh fighter McKenna has eight wins and three losses in her professional career, while Polastri has 12 wins and four defeats.

McKenna, 25, was defeated by Jacqueline Amorim in her last bout in March.

Amorim locked in an early armbar for the submission victory over the Welsh grappler.

The fight marked McKenna's return from battling a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), long Covid and a couple of concussions.

The Cwmbran fighter hit the headlines in August 2022 by becoming the first female in UFC history to earn a submission win with a Von Flue choke.

McKenna earned her spot in UFC through Dana White's Contender Series in 2020, while Polastri graduated in 2023 after she had been unsuccessful in 2021.

Source: BBC
 

Scotland's Duncan earns first-round win at UFC Paris​

Scotland's Chris Duncan bounced back from the disappointment of his previous fight by enjoying a first-round victory over Bolaji Oki at UFC Paris.

The lightweight lost his last fight to Manuel Torres in Mexico but bounced back with a 3:34 first round submission by guillotine choke against his Belgian opponent.

The two fighters exchanged blows in a fiery start inside the Accor Arena ring, before Oki was stunned by Duncan as he tried to bring the Scot down.

Duncan threw a handful of punches as he put Oki into a deep hold before the Belgian fighter fell unconscious on top of him - prompting an unusual moment where the Scot called the referee over to end the fight.

The 31-year-old, known as The Problem, takes his record to 12 wins from 14 fights.

Source: BBC
 
Renato Moicano fought through an entire round of his main event victory at UFC Paris with a severely damaged shoulder

The Brazilian revealed the extent of a horrible shoulder injury after what was arguably the biggest win in his UFC career over France’s Benoit Saint Denis.

The bout came to an end after round two, as Saint Denis failed to show the doctor that he could see out of his right eye.

Moicano had dominated the opening round, landing 36 significant strikes, which caused his opponent's eye to completely shut.

Saint Denis, however, was able to fight back and went on to win the second round on each judge’s scorecard.

But the damage had already been done and the fight doctor was called in to check on the Frenchmen before waving off the fight as it would have been too dangerous to continue.

Just hours after Moiacno’s hand was raised in Paris, he shared images of an X-ray that showed how serious the injury was.

“I hurt my shoulder 3 weeks ago…but I couldn’t pull out of a main event…thank you [to] my team for helping me [in] training like that [and getting] me ready for the fight,” he said.

MMA fans noticed that Moicano had a slight bump above his right shoulder as he walked to the octagon before his fight with Saint Denis.

Then, in the second round, Moicano’s shoulder seemed to pop out of place, heightening any injury that he already picked up before the fight.

A second said: “Wow ***. Makes the win even more impressive.”

While a third added: “OMG this is insane…the incredible toughness of Moicano…”

After the fight, Moicano proceeded to call out Liverpool’s Paddy Pimblett, who has been on the hunt for a new opponent since his impressive victory over King Green at UFC Manchester in July.

He also mentioned UFC veteran Dan Hooker as someone who he would like to fight in the future.

“Next, I want easy money,” Moicano said in his post-fight octagon interview with British UFC legend Michael Bisping.

“Paddy Pimblett, easy money…Dan Hooker, easy money. Don’t come up with bulls fights…I want easy fights.

“I just beat [a] hell of an athlete everybody was talking about, Benoit Saint Denis. But guess what? Money Moicano is the man tonight.”

It was Moicano’s fourth consecutive victory in the UFC as he moved up to the 11th-ranked lightweight fighter in the division.

Pimblett, who is ranked four places below him, has since responded to Moicano’s comments with an Instagram post that has the Brazilian tagged and states ‘Let’s do this’.

talksport.com

Renato Moicano shows brutal UFC Paris injury that may delay Paddy Pimblett fight

Renato Moicano fought through an entire round of his main event victory at UFC Paris with a severely damaged shoulder. The Brazilian revealed the extent of a horrible shoulder injury after what was…
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'Incredible' Moicano won UFC fight with shoulder injury

Dana White says he was amazed Renato Moicano was able to win his fight against Benoit Saint-Denis with a severely injured shoulder last Saturday.

Brazil's Moicano was locked in a close battle at UFC Paris before the cageside doctor stopped the contest at the end of the second round because of an injury to the eye of Saint-Denis.

UFC president White said Moicano was lucky the doctor went to Saint-Denis' corner first.

"It was incredible what he was able to do with that injury," White said of Moicano's performance.

Moicano, 35, said after the fight he had "hurt" his shoulder three weeks before UFC Paris but did not want to pull out of the fight.

The lightweight entered the octagon with a visible bump on his shoulder, winning the first round on the scorecards before losing the second after appearing to aggravate the injury.

He shared pictures of the X-ray, which shows a bone in his shoulder dislodged.

After the biggest win of his career to date, Moicano called out Liverpool's Paddy Pimblett.

The rivals have argued on social media and through interviews in the past.

"Next, I want easy money," he said. "Paddy Pimblett, easy money."


www.bbc.com

UFC: Dana White hails Renato Moicano for fighting with severe shoulder injury at UFC Paris

Renato Moicano says he suffered a bad shoulder injury three weeks before his fight with Benoit Saint-Denis last Saturday in Paris.
www.bbc.com
 
Pereira makes history in stoppage win over Rountree

Alex Pereira retained his UFC light-heavyweight title by stopping Khalil Rountree in four rounds at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City on Saturday.

The Brazilian survived a scare in the second round after being dropped a counter right hand.

Pereira, 37, recovered and resumed methodically breaking Rountree down, eventually finishing the bloodied and exhausted American with an uppercut.

With the victory, Pereira sets a new record in the UFC with the shortest period between three consecutive defences.

The record was previously held by UFC legend Ronda Rousey, but with defences in April, June and at UFC 307, Pereira has successfully defended his title three times in just 175 days.

Pereira maintains his position as one of the most feared strikers in the UFC, with four stoppage victories in a row.

His run in 2024 includes two former champions in Jamahal Hill and Jiri Prochazka, but found a game opponent in Rountree.

"I can say that this was one of the toughest fights," Pereira said afterwards.

"I expected that. He showed tonight why he's got so much quality in here."

The former middleweight champion had teased a move up to heavyweight or back down to middleweight, but said in his post-fight interview he was staying at 205lb (14st 6lb, 93kg).

"I can move up to heavyweight but this division is great and this is where I am at," he said.

Pereira improved his record to 12 wins and just two losses while Rountree picked up his sixth defeat in 19 fights.

Pena becomes champion again courtesy of razor-thin win

Julianna Pena reclaimed the UFC bantamweight title with a controversial split decision win over Raquel Pennington.

Pena, 35, had spells of control over the five rounds with takedowns but was hurt by some pinpoint striking, including a big right hand which sent her tumbling to the canvas in the fourth round.

Pena was able to survive and the fighters exchanged right hands in the final round before the bell rang.

Two judges saw it 48-47 for Pena, while a third saw it for Pennington. The result was booed by the crowd.

"I wasn't sure," Pena said of her feelings before the scorecards were read out.

"I heard these judges tonight were doing some crazy stuff. It's unfortunate I went to a decision. Just a loss of focus and that's what I would say, I got dropped.

"Definitely need to be a little bit more focused."

Pennington, 36, could demand a rematch, but a new top contender emerged on the undercard as two-time Olympic judo champion Kayla Harrison claimed her second win in the UFC.

Harrison, 34, improved her record to 18-1 with a unanimous points win over Ketlen Vieira.

Vieira asked questions of Harrison, opening up a cut on her forehead, but Harrison fought through the pain and was on top for large stretches of the contest.

"Ladies, enjoy it while you can cause the Queen is home and she's coming for that gold," Harrison said in her post-fight speech.

McGregor backs Aldo after controversial loss

Conor McGregor was among those outraged by Jose Aldo's defeat by Mario Bautista.

Aldo, 38, was aiming to put himself in contention for one final title shot at bantamweight with a second victory in a row.

The Brazilian landed more strikes and stuffed all of Bautista's takedown attempts, but was undone by two of the judges' scorecards who saw the contest 29-28 for Bautista.

The result sees Aldo suffer his ninth pro loss in 41 matches, while 31-year-old Bautista picks up his biggest career win and a seventh victory in a row.

McGregor posted on social media he was unhappy Bautista's control was given precedence over the damage done by Aldo.

"That was Jose's story," McGregor said.

"He has just said he was shooting in just to hold him against the fence. That's not good enough.

"Referees need to step in here. This sport is the fans' sport. Remember this and act accordingly referees."

BBC
 
Cameroon’s Ngannou returns to MMA after tough year, fights Ferreira in PFL

Francis Ngannou’s journey to fighting superstardom has seen him go from working in gold mines as a child in his native Cameroon, to crossing the Sahara to reach Europe, to becoming the UFC heavyweight champion and fighting some of the finest boxers of his generation.

But when he fights on Saturday night, he will not only be taking on Renan Ferreira for the Professional Fighters League (PFL) Super Fights heavyweight crown, he will also be testing his desire to keep fighting after the devastating loss of his 15-month-old son Kobe earlier this year.

The mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter, a soft-spoken giant who long held the record for hardest punch ever recorded at the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) – equivalent to the horsepower of a family car – felt powerless after Kobe’s sudden death in April from an undiagnosed brain malformation.

As he struggled to process the loss, everything seemed meaningless and he contemplated retirement, but he decided to fight at least one more time for Kobe, who he had named after the late Los Angeles Lakers NBA star Kobe Bryant.

“It’s motivation that I really wish I wouldn’t have had, but, unfortunately, that’s my motivation today,” the 38-year-old told Al Jazeera, speaking via Zoom from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he will make his PFL debut and fight his first MMA bout in nearly three years.


www.aljazeera.com

Ex-UFC star Ngannou embarks on new MMA chapter in Saudi Arabia

Francis Ngannou competes in MMA for the first time in three years, fighting Renan Ferreira for the PFL heavyweight belt.
www.aljazeera.com www.aljazeera.com
 
Emotional Ngannou stops Ferreira in first round on MMA return

An emotional Francis Ngannou marked his return to mixed martial arts with a first-round stoppage of Renan Ferreira at the PFL Super Fights event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Cameroon's Ngannou knocked out Ferreira with some brutal ground strikes in his first MMA contest in nearly three years.

The 38-year-old shed tears as he dedicated the victory to his late 15-month-old son Kobe, who passed away earlier this year.

"I can't think about anything [other] than my son Kobe. I only took this fight because of him," said Ngannou.

"I went to fight for him. I hope they can remember his name because without Kobe, we wouldn't be here tonight. I wouldn't have fought."

Since leaving the UFC as its heavyweight champion 22 months ago, Ngannou has become one of the world's biggest combat sports stars following blockbuster boxing bouts against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.

But he has been adamant in the build-up to this encounter that he "never left MMA", and always planned to fight again in the cage.

Ngannou considered retirement earlier this year, but said he had chosen to fight on in memory of Kobe as a way of "honouring him".

The fight was Ngannou's PFL debut and the organisation took advantage of the money their biggest star now generates by building the card around him and creating commemorative 'Super Fight belts'.

Announced as the "one true heavyweight MMA champion" in reference to his being stripped of his UFC title after leaving the promotion early last year, Ngannou opened a contest billed as 'the Battle of the Giants' with a leg kick, wobbling Ferreira.

Ferreira, the PFL's 2023 global league heavyweight champion, responded with a leg kick of his own, but would soon find himself on the back foot as Ngannou secured a takedown.

After defending a triangle choke attempt, Ngannou took control, posturing up and launching a series of ground strikes down on a helpless Ferreira.

With the Brazilian not defending himself, the referee stopped the contest as an emotional Ngannou crouched against the cage, gathering his thoughts in victory.

"I knew I didn't miss a step. I wasn't worried about it because as soon as I walked in the gym I knew everything was still there," said Ngannou.

"It was just me being able to manage my emotions. Deal with life separately, not mix things up. That's what I have been working on.

"I think my next move in combat sports all depends on me, how I feel. I always think I have a lot to give and I keep thinking that way."

The card was typical of recent big sporting events to take place in Saudi Arabia, with a glamorous opening ceremony.

National flags of each fighter competing were paraded to the cage, ending with the Saudi Arabian national anthem, as global stars such as Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo watched.

The country continues to face criticisms, however, for using sport to divert attention away from its poor human rights record - a process dubbed 'sportswashing'.

Cyborg beats Pacheco in gruelling contest

In the co-main event, Brazil's Cris Cyborg beat compatriot Larissa Pacheco by unanimous decision in a gruelling back-and-forth contest.

In a fight where momentum changed multiple times, Cyborg, 39, was the more aggressive as she cemented her legacy as one of the best female MMA fighters in history.

The bout was billed as a champion versus champion contest, with Cyborg the reigning Bellator featherweight title holder and Pacheco winning the 2023 PFL featherweight global league.

Cyborg referred pre-fight to the contest as her "legacy tour" and was tested by Pacheco like few others have been able to.

During a glittering 19-year-career which has included championship victories across multiple promotions, she has now won 28 fights, lost two, and has not been defeated since 2018.

The first round was action-packed, as Cyborg landed two takedowns either side of a vicious head kick.

Pacheco, as she would show throughout the bout, displayed remarkable durability as she fought back, opening a cut above both of Cyborg's eyebrows.

Cyborg was not fazed, delivering an eye-catching spinning backfist before landing another takedown, but momentum would swing back in Pacheco's favour in the third.

Pacheco taunted a stationary Cyborg, demanding engagement in the centre of the cage, before securing a takedown of her own and controlling the action on the ground.

In a gruelling contest, Cyborg started to save her attack for blitzes as she rushed forward multiple times, landing a flurry of strikes, but Pacheco once more would recover as the fight entered the final round.

Cyborg launched a couple of big overhand rights in the closing stages but as the bell rang, both fighters raised their arms in the air, believing they had done enough to secure victory.

As the judges' scores were read out, Cyborg was declared the victor, before she was awarded a commemorative belt - the fifth title of her magnificent career.

"Larissa is a legend in sports. She punches really hard. She's a really good fighter. It's a pleasure for me," said Cyborg.

"I feel very blessed. Very thankful. The time difference is really difficult for me. I have two more fights, I want to defend this title."

BBC
 

Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov Could Collide at Cousin Usman’s Next Fight Against Irish Star​


We may be close to witnessing another face-off between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov, as their bittersweet feud in MMA history is set to reignite again— only this time not inside the UFC’s Octagon, but at the PFL’s arena! After defeating AJ McKee by way of a split decision, Paul Hughes immediately called out Usman Nurmagomedov for a title shot fight but there’s a catch to it as well as it appears that he wants to convert it to Ireland vs. Dagestan 2.0.

After upsetting the MMA community with his victory over AJ McKee, Paul Hughes has called out Conor McGregor to be in his corner for his fight against Usman Nurmagomedov. Interestingly, Khabib Nurmagomedov will also be there to corner his brother, and the presence of McGregor in the same arena could have serious repercussions. Yet, Paul Hughes is ready to take a chance.

At the post-fight press conference, Hughes emphasized that he has what it takes to defeat Usman Nurmagomedov, “We all know who is next. Usman Nurmagomedov is next; we all know that. Let’s go! Let’s do this! Smash him! Walk him down! Put punches on him like that! I mean, how many times have I heard AJ there? As I said, very, very close to knocking Nurmagomedov out a few times.”

He further added, “This time, I think 100% I will get him. I don’t think he is as clean of a striker as AJ is. Conor, someone clip it! Conor, I want you to be in my corner for that fight, 100%! How cool would that be? You know I need some extra security that night. Also, talk to the man; we may need some more security. But I’m down for it! I think it would be fun.”

Well, Conor McGregor has yet to answer this call but he did congratulate his countryman for his victory. ‘Mystic Mac’ took to his X handle to say, “Big News’ @paulhughesmma ! Solidified! Bravo bro, well in!” While McGregor’s busy schedule might keep him off Hughes Corner, nothing yet could be said for certain when it comes to the Notorious. And while we are on that, let’s take a walk down the memory to recall the heated rivalry between The Eagle and McGregor.

There was once a time when Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor were on good terms. Nurmagomedov was even a fan of the Irish fighter but everything turned upside down when Dana White ducked Khabib Nurmagomedov’s title shot to give it to Conor McGregor, thus initiating animosity between the Dagestani and the Irishman.

Although both the fighters used to have a light banter with one another, in April 2018 their rivalry took a dramatic turn when McGregor infamously attacked a bus carrying Khabib and other fighters at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. ‘Mystic Mac’ even threw a metal trolley to their bus which resulted in various injuries.

It heightened the already ongoing tensions between the public figures. The reason for this epic mismanagement, you ask? It was because Khabib Nurmagomedov threatened and slapped McGregor’s former friend Artem Lobov. In a conversation with the media, ‘Eagle’ emphasized that McGregor’s fight was one of the most exhilarating fights for him, “I remember fight night when I was supposed to fight with him. I was so excited, and I couldn’t wait. I really can’t wait when the cage is going to close, you know because for me, it’s like a competitor.”

Their feud soon culminated in their clash at UFC 229 on October 6, 2018. The pre-fight press conference witnessed some crass trash talks from both the fighters but Conor McGregor crossed his limits when he attacked Nurmagomedov’s lineage, religion, and even parents.

Regardless, on the fateful day, ‘Eagle’ emerged victorious via submission in the fourth round, but the post-fight scene stole the headlines as he jumped over the cage to confront McGregor’s team, triggering a massive brawl in the arena. Since then, both of them have been on bad terms. Regardless, what’s your opinion on their rivalry? State your thoughts in the comments below.

www.essentiallysports.com

Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov Could Collide at Cousin Usman’s Next Fight Against Irish Star

Explore the potential showdown between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov as they could meet again at Cousin Usman's next fight.
www.essentiallysports.com
 
Hughes beats McKee for biggest win of career

Paul Hughes earned the biggest win of his career as he outstruck AJ McKee to win their lightweight bout by split decision in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Belfast's Hughes, 27, dropped American McKee with a right hook in the first round and impressed throughout with his dangerous striking.

Hughes was an underdog going into the bout against 29-year-old McKee, who is a former Bellator featherweight champion.

"The PFL believed in me and look at me now. I took the risk, I fought one of the best in the division. Here I am, a rural kid from Ireland. I bet on myself," said Hughes.

The bout opened the main card of the PFL’s Super Fights card, which is headlined by Francis Ngannou’s heavyweight bout with Renan Ferreira.

Hughes had called the fight with McKee a “life-changing opportunity” in the build-up to the contest, with the American representing the biggest bout of his career.

Hughes, a former featherweight champion in UK-based promotion Cage Warriors, was competing in only his second PFL bout after defeating Bobby King in June.

McKee, meanwhile, was the face of Bellator for years before it was acquired by the PFL last year, with his 18-fight win streak between 2015 and 2021 representing the longest in the promotion’s history.

Hughes' lack of big-fight experience compared to McKee was not evident however as he put the American on the backfoot from opening bell.

With Hughes looking dangerous, McKee instigated the first grappling exchange while narrowly avoiding a flying knee, which drew gasps from the crowd.

McKee turned to his wrestling to try to nullify Hughes' strikes but the Ireland fighter defended well before delivering the defining moment of the round.

With McKee backed up against the cage, Hughes dropped him with a right hook before the bell came to the American's rescue.

McKee recovered well in the second round, avoiding serious damage from Hughes while delivering some quick one-two jabs, before ending the round on top on the ground.

But Hughes would take control again in the final five minutes, trapping McKee up against the cage once again and unleashing an array of strikes against the tiring American, including an eye-catching uppercut.

After extending his record to 13 wins and one defeat, while inflicting only the second loss of McKee's 24-fight career, Hughes called for a bout with Russian Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov.

A fired-up Hughes said: "We want to see Ireland v Dagestan, we want to see Paul Hughes v Usman Nurmagomedov for the Bellator lightweight title. Let's go!"


www.bbc.com

PFL Super Fights: Paul Hughes earns biggest win of career against AJ McKee

Paul Hughes earns the biggest win of his career as he out-strikes AJ McKee to win by split decision in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
www.bbc.com
 
Topuria stuns Holloway to retain UFC title

Ilia Topuria stunned Max Holloway to retain the UFC featherweight title at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi - inflicting the first knockout defeat of the American's glittering career.

Spain's Topuria rocked former champion Holloway in the third round before ending the fight with a thudding left hook.

Topuria's win follows his knockout of Alexander Volkanovski in February, cementing the 27-year-old as the man of the moment and the future of the division.

"To beat a legend like Max Holloway, I can't believe it you know, he inspired me so much in my career," said Topuria.

"He's been a great example for the generation. I represent the new generation."

Topuria was making the first defence of his belt after shocking Volkanovski eight months ago, ending the Australian's four-year title reign.

It has been a rapid rise for Topuria in the UFC, finishing five of seven opponents since his 2020 debut before this contest, but in Holloway he was facing one of the most decorated athletes in UFC history.

Holloway is a former featherweight champion, reigning for two years from 2017, and holds multiple records in the division, including the most victories (20), finishes (11) and longest win streak (13).

Holloway's knockout of Justin Gaethje in April went viral after he pointed to the floor and invited his fellow American to stand and swing, and Topuria had promised to repeat the gesture at the beginning of their bout in Abu Dhabi.

Cheered on by Real Madrid legend Sergio Ramos at octagon-side, Topuria followed through on his promise but Holloway declined, choosing to start the contest in conventional fashion.

Topuria applied the early pressure with Holloway backing up to avoid any damaging shots.

The Spaniard then landed the first takedown, before attacking with leg kicks when the fight returned to the feet.

Holloway responded as he settled into his range, landing jabs and quick left-right combinations to keep Topuria at bay.

With both fighters finding success – Topuria with a stinging left hook and Holloway with a counter right – the crowd roared as the fight entered the third round.

After Holloway landed two kicks, drawing a finger gesture in response from Topuria, the Spaniard delivered the defining moment of the bout.

In Holloway's 30-fight career, he has hardly been wobbled, but a crushing right hand from Topuria resulted in the American staggering backwards in shock.

With Holloway hurt, Topuria went on the attack before knocking him out for the first time with a perfect left hook.

Topuria celebrated by pretending to drink a cup of tea, before climbing out of the octagon to celebrate with Ramos.

After his post-fight interview, Topuria was joined by Volkanovski as the pair shook hands, possibly setting up a rematch.

"I want [Alexander Volkanovski]. Right now I don't want to fight with anyone," said Topuria.

"What a beautiful family I have; I am a highly blessed man in this world. I want to go out of this cage and celebrate with my people."

In the co-main event, Russia's Khamzat Chimaev extended the unbeaten start to his career to 14 fights as he dominated Robert Whittaker to submit him in the first round.

Chimaev took former middleweight champion Whittaker down at the first attempt, before relentlessly working towards a rear-naked choke.

He did not secure the choke, but the pressure on Whittaker's jaw forced the Australian to tap.

The win puts 30-year-old Chimaev in a strong position to challenge South Africa's middleweight champion, Dricus du Plessis.

Briton Murphy battles to win over Ige

On the undercard, Manchester's Lerone Murphy battled to a unanimous decision win over American Dan Ige for the biggest win of his career.

Murphy, 33, was dropped by a counter left hook in the first round but recovered brilliantly, showing all corners of his skillset to win the featherweight contest.

The undefeated Briton came into the bout after outpointing veteran Brazilian Edson Barboza in May, moving up to 12th in the UFC's featherweight rankings.

Ranked two spots below Murphy, Ige, 33, was competing four months after stepping into a fight on only four hours' notice and going down to a unanimous decision defeat by Diego Lopes.

Murphy started Saturday's fight well, cutting Ige at the top of his nose with an elbow as the American applied early pressure.

Ige then wrestled the momentum away by taking Murphy down, before dropping him with a counter left hook after the fight returned to the feet.

Murphy recovered well to survive until the end of the round, however, which was the turning point of the contest.

Perhaps still feeling the effects of the knockdown, Murphy adopted a more conservative approach, using his movement to land jabs, leg kicks and spinning back kicks on Ige, while avoiding returning shots.

Murphy ended the round in control on the ground, before the pair tussled for position in the final five minutes with an exciting round seeing a number of reversals.

In the remaining few seconds, Murphy emptied what energy he had left, landing a bruising left hook and a couple of knee strikes on Ige, before the pair embraced as the bell rang.

After extending the unbeaten start to his career to 15 outings, Murphy called for a match-up with American Josh Emmett, who is eighth in the UFC featherweight rankings.

BBC
 
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