‘Sweet Dreams’ Early Betting Favorite Over ‘BJP’

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight champion, Jamahal Hill, is expected to fight fellow ex-champion, Jiri Prochazka, as part of the upcoming UFC 311 pay-per-view …


UFC Fight Night: Walker v Hill
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight champion, Jamahal Hill, is expected to fight fellow ex-champion, Jiri Prochazka, as part of the upcoming UFC 311 pay-per-view (PPV) mixed martial arts (MMA) event, scheduled for Sat., Jan. 18, 2025 inside Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

That’s according to a broadcasting whoopsie during the UFC Macau stream.

Hill opened as the slight betting favorite at -125, according to our fiscal friends over at BetOnline.ag. Prochazka was not far behind, despite his underdog status, at +105 — though it flipped just minutes after going live, with “Sweet Dreams” now sitting at -107 against -113 for Prochazka.

Hill is ranked two spots below Prochazka at No. 4.

Hill (12-2, 1 NC) has not competed since his knockout loss to current champion, Alex Pereira, at UFC 300 last April in Las Vegas. Similarly, Prochazka (30-5-1) is looking to rebound from his knockout loss to “Poatan” atop the UFC 303 fight card in June. Whoever prevails at UFC 311 could land the winner of this fight.

Expect more UFC 311 fight card announcements in the coming weeks, if not days.

Colby Covington vs Joaquin Buckley: – Fight Card, Betting Odds, Start Time

Colby Covington vs Joaquin BuckleyAll the fights for Colby Covington vs Joaquin Buckley in Tampa on Saturday 14th December 2024. With betting odds,…

Colby Covington vs Joaquin Buckley

All the fights for Colby Covington vs Joaquin Buckley in Tampa on Saturday 14th December 2024. With betting odds, start time, date, fight card, and information on how to watch.

  • Event: Colby Covington vs Joaquin Buckley
  • Date: Sat, December 14, 2024
  • Location: Amalie Arena, Tampa, FL
  • BroadcastESPN+ Main Event 10 p.m. ET
  • Broadcast in the UK: TNT Sports 3 a.m. GMT
Covington vs Buckley Poster

Covington vs Buckley Full Fight Card

Main Card

  • Colby Covington vs. Joaquin Buckley: Welterweight Main Event
  • Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Ribas: Women’s Strawweight
  • Cub Swanson vs. Billy Quarantillo: Featherweight
  • Vitor Petrino vs. Dustin Jacoby: Light Heavyweight
  • Michael Johnson vs. Ottman Azaitar: Lightweight
  • Manel Kape vs. Bruno Silva: Flyweight
  • Miranda Maverick vs. Jamey-Lyn Horth: Women’s Flyweight

Prelims

  • Adrian Yanez vs. Daniel Marcos: Bantamweight
  • Joel Álvarez vs. Drakkar Klose: Lightweight
  • Sean Woodson vs. Fernando Padilla: Featherweight
  • Navajo Stirling vs. Tuco Tokkos: Light Heavyweight
  • Davey Grant vs. Ramon Taveras: Bantamweight
  • Josefine Knutsson vs. Piera Rodriguez: Women’s Strawweight

*Fight card, bout order, and number of fights are subject to change

Colby Covington vs. Joaquin Buckley Tale of the Tape

Name: Colby Covington Joaquin Buckley
Country: United States United States
Age: 36 30
Height: 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Weight: 170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb) 170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb)
Reach: 72 in (183 cm) 76 in (193 cm)

Start date and time

Colby Covington vs. Joaquin Buckley takes place on Saturday, December 14th, at the Amalie Arena in Tampa. The fight card will start at 10 p.m. ET. In the UK, the main card starts at 3 a.m. GMT.

Betting Odds

  • Joaquin Buckley: -210 Favorite
  • Colby Covington: +180 Underdog

Covington vs. Buckley Press Conference

TBA

Tickets

If you are lucky enough to be near Tampa or plan to attend Colby Covington vs. Joaquin Buckley at the Amalie Arena, tickets are available here.

PPV Price and Live Streams

Colby Covington vs. Joaquin Buckley is live on ESPN+ you can purchase a subscription here.

What is Next after Colby Covington vs. Joaquin Buckley?

TBA

Paul-Tyson Promoters Forced To Address Fight Fixing Allegations

Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images

Fans are convinced the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight was fixed.
Theories are ranging from “pad Paul’s record” to “keep the old guy alive” — and everything in between. Paul …


US-BOXING-TYSON-PAUL-HEAVYWEIGHT
Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images

Fans are convinced the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight was fixed.

Theories are ranging from “pad Paul’s record” to “keep the old guy alive” — and everything in between. Paul made a good faith effort to shut down that conspiratorial chatter last week on social media, but it appears to have made things worse.

Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) today released a statement to address those “fictitious” rumors, printed below in its entirety:

Following the wide circulation of incorrect and baseless claims that undermine the integrity of the Paul vs. Tyson event, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) would like to set the record straight regarding the contractual agreements and the nature of the fight.

Rigging a professional boxing match is a federal crime in the United States of America. Paul vs. Tyson was a professional match sanctioned by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR). Both fighters in good faith performed to the best of their abilities with the goal of winning the fight. There were absolutely no restrictions – contractual or otherwise – around either fighter. Each boxer was able to use his full arsenal to win the fight. Any agreement to the contrary would violate TDLR boxing rules.

Trash talk and speculation are common in sports, and athletes and promoters need to tolerate nonsensical commentary, jokes and opinions. But suggesting anything other than full effort from these fighters is not only naïve but an insult to the work they put into their craft and to the sport itself.

It is further illogical and inane that MVP, in the debut of a hopeful long-term partnership with the world’s biggest streamer—an organization that made its first-ever foray into live professional sports with Paul vs. Tyson—would even so much as consider such a perverse violation of the rules of competition.

“This is not the first time Jake Paul has faced unfounded skepticism or outright disbelief as a professional athlete, and frankly, the claim that his bout must have been rigged is just the latest backhanded compliment to come his way,” said Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions. “From day one in this sport, people have doubted his abilities—unable to reconcile how someone with his background has accomplished so much in such a short time. Jake has not only proven himself repeatedly, but he has continuously set historic records that speak for themselves. This event, which broke attendance and viewership milestones for a professional sporting event, is yet another example of his ability to deliver on the biggest stage. As long as Jake continues to exceed expectations, there will always be those who try to discredit his achievements. We embrace the doubt—it only fuels Jake to work harder and achieve greater success.”

Paul carried Tyson (by his own admission) to an eight-round decision on Nov. 15 in Texas.

Tyson looked old and slow during their Netflix headliner, which should not come as a surprise to anyone who remembers that Tyson is … old and slow. That’s a byproduct of competing at 58 years old with tar-filled stool.

The good news is, misery loves company (and a couple of extra paychecks).

‘Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime’: Ian Machado Garry on Accepting the Shavkat Rakhmonov ‘Boogeyman’ Challenge at UFC 310

Ian Machado Garry Ready to Face Shavkat RakhmonovTwo undefeated welterweight contenders Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Machado Garry are set to face off on December 7, 2024,…

Ian Machado Garry Ready to Face Shavkat Rakhmonov

Two undefeated welterweight contenders Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Machado Garry are set to face off on December 7, 2024, at UFC 310 in a five-round title eliminator. ‘The Future’ Garry broke down why he is so excited for this matchup while in Thailand.

Ian Machado Garry Ready to Face Shavkat Rakhmonov

Since joining the UFC, Garry has maintained an impressive undefeated streak. As of November 2024, he holds a professional record of 15 wins with no losses. In the UFC, he has fought eight times and won all his bouts. The Irish striker has a quality pull counter. Some notable victories include wins over opponents like Neil Magny, Daniel Rodriguez, and Michael ‘Venom’ Page.

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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 29: Ian Machado Garry of Ireland reacts to his victory over Michael Page of England in a welterweight fight during the UFC 303 event at T-Mobile Arena on June 29, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

The Kazakhstani mixed martial artist Shavkat Rakhmonov has made a significant impact in the UFC’s welterweight division with his undefeated record. Rakhmonov has developed a reputation for his relentless skills in both striking and grappling. Since making his UFC debut in 2020, he has maintained a perfect professional record of 18 wins and no losses, with an impressive 10 victories by submission and 8 by knockout.

The Irish athlete Ian Machado Garry discussed the Shavkat Rakhmonov on his YouTube channel. He said:

“I want people to say, ‘This guy will fight anyone, anywhere, anytime.’ A perfect example—give me the boogeyman of the welterweight division, and I’ll stand in there on three weeks’ notice and find a way to beat him.

“Can I be the guy to defeat Shavkat? Find out when it happens, baby. He’s been looking at me for seven or eight months. I signed to fight the baddest man in the division, and he comes out of the shadows.

“Honestly, I’ve been pushing for the Shavkat fight. I wanted undefeated vs. undefeated.”

‘Hitman’ Kills Connie Collaboration

Photo By David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile via Getty Images

The target has been neutralized. Former UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor, who also wore gold at 145 pounds, was recently added to the “Hitman” video game franc…


High Court 24 - P Ní Laimhin v McGregor & Anor
Photo By David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile via Getty Images

The target has been neutralized.

Former UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor, who also wore gold at 145 pounds, was recently added to the “Hitman” video game franchise as “The Disruptor,” a multi-billionaire MMA fighter that players can hunt down and eliminate.

That collaboration is now over.

“In light of the recent court ruling regarding Conor McGregor, IO Interactive has made the decision to cease its collaboration with the athlete, effective immediately,” the developer, IO Interactive, wrote on social media. “We take this matter very seriously and cannot ignore its implications. Consequently, we will begin removing all content featuring Mr. McGregor from our storefronts starting today.”

Fan reactions were mixed.

Some gamers celebrated the “just” separation, prompted by the recent civil court ruling that found McGregor liable for sexual assault. Others panned the “spineless” and “woke” decision to cut ties and demanded a refund for the “Notorious” content.

McGregor is expected to appeal the verdict in the coming days.