All articles tagged with #sports mma
Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, now 43, hasn’t fought in over six years and recently attended the Rousey–Carano event. He says any comeback would require a truly substantial payday and isn’t about name value, noting he has other interests and coaching duties at American Kickboxing Academy.
At MVP MMA 1’s official weigh-ins in Manhattan Beach, Ronda Rousey (142) and Gina Carano (141.4) hit the featherweight limit for their Netflix superfight, with all 22 fighters clearing the scale, including Diaz-Perry and Ngannou-Lins, setting the stage for Saturday’s event outside the Intuit Dome in Inglewood.
Khamzat Chimaev released a brief unseen sparring clip of him pressuring Sean Strickland ahead of their UFC 328 middleweight title fight, with Strickland claiming Chimaev bullied him; the video is short and the hype battle continues as Chimaev defends his title and Strickland seeks a second middleweight crown.
Logan Storley defeated Florim Zendeli by unanimous decision in the PFL Sioux Falls main event, while Gadzhi Rabadanov earned a decision over Alex Chizov in the co-main; the card also featured multiple finishes and decisions across the prelims, delivering a strong night for the league in Sioux Falls.
Alex Pereira moves up to heavyweight to challenge Ciryl Gane for the UFC interim title on June 14 at UFC White House, aiming to become the first fighter to hold belts in three divisions, after establishing himself as a premier knockout artist across multiple weight classes.
Arman Tsarukyan defeated Georgio Poullas in the RAF7 rematch, after Poullas finally paid the $10,000 bet from their first clash; Tsarukyan donated the winnings to a sick child, and the two had previously traded threats but reconciled after the fight.
Alexander Volkanovski defeated Diego Lopes by unanimous decision in UFC 325 to defend his featherweight title in a closely watched rematch, marking the first defense of his second reign, with fighters reacting to the win on social media.
Ilia Topuria threatens to bypass Max Holloway for his first UFC featherweight title defense, insisting that he decides who, when, and where he fights. Topuria has suggested that he would only fight Holloway if the BMF belt is on the line, prompting Holloway to fire back. Topuria has hinted at offering the title shot to Brian Ortega instead, expressing his desire to hold both the BMF belt and a divisional title simultaneously. He also aims to fight in September at The Sphere in Las Vegas, with a potential matchup against Ortega.
Ilia Topuria is eager to fight Max Holloway at The Sphere, but only if the "BMF" title is on the line, claiming that he had been asking for the fight before Holloway's recent win. Topuria, who recently claimed the featherweight title, is open to fighting Holloway because of the BMF belt, but is not interested otherwise. He also expressed interest in fighting in Spain and hinted at a potential rematch with Alexander Volkanovski.
Kamaru Usman believes three key factors contributed to Justin Gaethje's KO loss to Max Holloway at UFC 300: the failure to make necessary adjustments during the fight, a spinning wheel kick that broke Gaethje's nose, and two eye-pokes suffered early in the contest. Despite Gaethje's strong preparation and weight cut, Usman feels that making adjustments and taking Holloway down could have changed the fight's outcome. Gaethje, in good spirits, congratulated Holloway and acknowledged his performance bonuses.
UFC commentator Joe Rogan declared Max Holloway's knockout of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 as the greatest of all time, praising Holloway's performance and legacy. Despite being moments away from a unanimous decision victory, Holloway opted to brawl with Gaethje and knocked him out with a flush right hand one second before the end of Round 5. Rogan emphasized that Holloway's preparation and performance in the lightweight division showcased his greatness, solidifying his status as one of the greatest fighters of all time.
MMA Junkie's "Spinning Back Clique" panel discusses the significance of UFC 300, including Max Holloway's BMF title win and potential future moves, notable lightweight bouts and bookings, Alex Pereira's successful light heavyweight title defense, Zhang Weili's strawweight title defense, Kayla Harrison's dominant victory, and other major storylines from the event.
Dana White announces Conor McGregor will fight Michael Chandler at UFC 303, while Islam Makhachev will face Dustin Poirier in the main event at UFC 302. Additionally, the UFC 117 fight between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen will be added to the UFC Hall of Fame's 'Fight Wing' as part of the Class of 2024. Mark Coleman, a UFC Hall of Famer, gives an interview backstage at UFC 300.
UFC 300 saw Alex Pereira retain his Light Heavyweight title with a first-round knockout, Zhang Weili defend her Strawweight title, and Max Holloway claim the "BMF" title with a stunning knockout. Potential future matchups include Pereira vs. Ankalaev, Weili vs. Suarez, Holloway vs. Topuria, Tsarukyan vs. Makhachev/Poirier winner, and Nickal vs. Dolidze/Hernandez winner.
Max Holloway reflects on being counted out as a UFC 300 underdog before delivering a last-second knockout of Justin Gaethje, asserting that people needed to be reminded of his capabilities. He expressed willingness to engage in a slugfest and emphasized his readiness to face any opponent in any weight class. With various options ahead, including a potential return to featherweight, Holloway is poised for significant opportunities following his career-defining victory at UFC 300.