All articles tagged with #welterweight
Adrien Broner predicts a 'nasty knockout' in the Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn welterweight showdown, citing Benn’s difficulty making 147 pounds and Garcia’s recent title defense as factors that could tilt the bout, which is set for Sept. 12 in Las Vegas.
Ryan Garcia will defend his WBC welterweight title against Conor Benn on Sept. 12 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, a bout promoted under Zuffa Boxing. Both fighters have shown momentum in recent bouts, with Garcia returning to form after his title win over Mario Barrios, and Benn building steam with wins and a high-profile clash with Eubank Jr and a subsequent win over Regis Prograis; negotiations with Golden Boy Promotions had previously created promotional friction, but the fight is now official.
Conor Benn will challenge WBC welterweight champion Ryan Garcia on Sept. 12 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for Benn’s first world-title bid, while Garcia defends the belt he won in February; the bout is promoted by Zuffa Boxing with UFC backing.
Conor McGregor weighed in at 170.5 pounds (77.3 kg) ahead of UFC 329 against Max Holloway, signaling his return after a 2021 injury. Holloway weighed 170 pounds as he looks to make a welterweight debut and even the series; a tense weigh-in featured McGregor snatching Holloway's sunglasses.
At the UFC 329 weigh-ins, Conor McGregor weighed in at 170.5 pounds and Max Holloway at 170 pounds, with Holloway moving to 170 pounds for the first time. McGregor is shorter but has a longer reach (74 inches) than Holloway (69 inches), and Holloway’s height is 5'11
Conor McGregor returns from a five-year layoff to headline UFC 329 in Las Vegas against Max Holloway in a five-round welterweight main event with no title on the line, as Holloway makes his official welterweight debut and eyes a future title path. The card also features Benoit Saint-Denis vs Paddy Pimblett in the co-main, plus several other bouts (Sandhagen vs Bautista, Royval vs Kavanagh, Green vs McKinney, etc.). The event streams on Paramount+ in the US and TNT Sports in the UK, with prelims around 7pm ET and the McGregor–Holloway fight expected around 12:30am ET.
Conor McGregor dismissed Max Holloway’s decision to bring in former welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena to train for their UFC 329 rematch, calling the setup a "Mickey Mouse" camp. Holloway has moved up to welterweight for the bout and kept his camp private, while McGregor’s camp has reportedly trained intensely in secret as fight night approaches, with questions about who will have the edge in reach and power.
McGregor’s coach John Kavanagh says the lightweight days may be behind him, with McGregor now comfortable at 170 lbs and likely to stay at welterweight for the near term. Kavanagh would like him to fight more often, ideally before the year ends rather than waiting until 2027, and envisions a quick return after a short break. The piece notes McGregor’s history at 145–155 and the upcoming showdown with Max Holloway at UFC 329 as the latest chapter, capped by a broader plan for McGregor’s contract-end fight in 2027 and a supposed “master class” in the cage.
Leon Shahbazyan, Edmen Shahbazyan’s brother, made his UFC welterweight debut at UFC Vegas 119 but was knocked out in 23 seconds by Levan Chokheli, prompting fan backlash over his UFC-caliber and the UFC’s signing decision; the piece notes rough starts can turn around for some fighters.
Dana White announced on The Pat McAfee Show that Islam Makhachev will defend his welterweight title against Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330 on August 15 in Philadelphia, headlining a world-title double-header; the co-main event features Mackenzie Dern vs Gillian Robertson for the strawweight title.
Islam Makhachev will defend the welterweight title against Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330 in Philadelphia on Aug. 15, aiming to extend his UFC-record 17-win streak; the bout was announced by Dana White on The Pat McAfee Show, pairing the dominant champion with rising contender Garry.
Ahead of UFC Freedom 250 at the White House, undefeated Ilia Topuria is set to unify the lightweight title with Justin Gaethje, while former interim champ Dustin Poirier weighs in on Topuria's layoff, Gaethje's upset potential, and a possible future move up to welterweight.
Colby Covington appears to have retired from MMA, with the UFC listing him as retired and roster trackers noting he is no longer part of the UFC roster.
Former UFC interim welterweight champion Colby Covington has informed the UFC that he is retiring from active competition. His last UFC bout came in December 2024 (a loss to Joaquin Buckley), leaving him with a 12-5 UFC record and a resume featuring wins over Masvidal, Woodley, dos Anjos and Lawler. At 38, Covington has remained active in wrestling circles, including RAF events with wins over Luke Rockhold and Dillon Danis and a May 30 bout against Chris Weidman. The piece also notes Mayra Bueno Silva and Brad Riddell have been removed from the UFC roster; Silva went winless in her last six fights, and Riddell endured a three-fight stoppage streak before withdrawing from a 2024 bout.
Carlos Prates extended his knockout streak to seven with a win over Jack Della Maddalena, tying him for fifth in UFC welterweight knockouts and positioning him to challenge Matt Brown’s all-time record. Brown, on The Fighter vs. The Writer, said he’d be honored if Prates pursued the record and praised Prates’ diverse striking. The piece notes Prates’ back-to-back KO wins over former champions and discusses Islam Makhachev as the looming obstacle at welterweight, with Brown predicting Makhachev would likely beat Garry, Prates, and Morales and urging an active title-defense schedule that could set up future matchups such as Topuria.