Fight fans have seen all sorts of pre-fight staredowns and are rarely surprised by anything, but what transpired this week left two fighters with their lips locked and onlookers in disbelief.
The mixed martial arts (MMA) scene h…
Fight fans have seen all sorts of pre-fight staredowns and are rarely surprised by anything, but what transpired this week left two fighters with their lips locked and onlookers in disbelief.
The mixed martial arts (MMA) scene has been bleak over the past few weeks with time off for the holidays. That is beginning to change as promotions roll out their 2025 schedules and start staging events again. While the high-profile organizations like Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Professional Fighters League (PFL) will be hosting cards later this month, French-based promotion, Hexagone MMA, got to work early Friday.
While the Hexagone MMA 23 event delivered multiple knockouts and submissions from Paris, France, it was one specific pre-fight faceoff that had fight fans buzzing. That’s because the two fighters involved, Oualy Tandia and Christopher Drouillard Odena, ended up kissing during an intense staredown.
The two welterweights obviously did not intend to lock lips for a pre-fight smooch, but as they were jostling for position and ripping their glasses off one thing led to another. They brushed it off like nothing happened and continued to talk trash, but the awkward kiss was already caught on camera.
Tandia would go on to defeat Odena via unanimous decision at Hexagone MMA 23, but his pre-fight staredown is certainly more memorable. Check it out above and let us know where this ranks among the worst faceoffs ever!
Fight fans were recently led to believe that UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira will move up to fight heavyweight contender Alexander Volkov at UFC 313 this March, but “Poatan” wi…
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Fight fans were recently led to believe that UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira will move up to fight heavyweight contender Alexander Volkov at UFC 313 this March, but “Poatan” will in fact stay at 205 pounds and finally defend his belt against Magomed Ankalaev next.
There’s been a lot of uncertainty surrounding Pereira and his plans for 2025. The reigning UFC light heavyweight king turned in one of the best years ever with a sensational 2024 campaign, but fight fans don’t really know what to expect this year from the imposing Brazilian striker. That’s because UFC’s light heavyweight division is short on top contenders and only has one or two suitable names that “Poatan” has yet to face. In turn, Pereira has teased a potential move up to heavyweight to try to become the first three-division champion in UFC history.
On Friday, a report began to circulate that Pereira will move up to heavyweight to challenge Volkov at UFC 313 on Mar. 8 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Fight fans were a bit shocked because the two fighters have never been linked before, but Volkov is one of the top contenders in the UFC’s heavyweight division so it would have made some sense if Pereira was in fact abandoning the 205-pound division.
However, veteran MMA journalist, Ariel Helwani, later debunked the rumor and confirmed that Pereira will stay at light heavyweight and meet Ankalaev his next time out. Helwani also spoke to Pereira’s team and they confirmed that the UFC champion will need “at least six months” to plan a move up to heavyweight.
Check it out below and let us know if you’re excited or disappointed that Pereira vs. Volkov is no longer a thing:
Alex Pereira’s next opponent will be Magomed Ankalaev, per sources. That’s the plan.
No plans of him moving to heavyweight any time soon. In fact, per his team, he’ll need at least six months to move up the way they want him to.
“Alex Pereira’s next opponent will be Magomed Ankalaev, per sources. That’s the plan.
“No plans of him moving to heavyweight any time soon. In fact, per his team, he’ll need at least six months to move up the way they want him to.”
Fellow MMA journalist, Kevin Iole, also chimed in to confirm that the rumored heavyweight bout between Pereira and Volkov was nothing more than hearsay. See below:
No truth to the rumor of Pereira versus Volkov. Zero. Move on.
Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight! Welcome to Midnight Mania!
Merab Dvalishvili is nearing his first official defense of the UFC bantamweight ti…
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight!
Welcome to Midnight Mania!
Merab Dvalishvili is nearing his first official defense of the UFC bantamweight title and the Georgian champion will need all the help he can get. That’s because Dvalishvili will be going up against undefeated sensation Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 on Jan. 18 from Inglewood, California. Nurmagomedov is the cousin of former UFC lightweight champion and undefeated all-time great, Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Despite coming off a unanimous decision win over Sean O’Malley at UFC 306 to win the UFC bantamweight crown, Dvalishvili is currently a +275 underdog entering his clash with Nurmagomedov at UFC 311. That’s also due in part to Nurmagomedov being 18-0 (6-0 UFC) and coming off a lopsided win over Cory Sandhagen last August. He arguably has better wrestling than Dvalishvili and has a pretty robust arsenal on the feet as well. It will be a tough challenge for Dvalishvili as he looks to earn more stripes as champion.
Luckily, Dvalishvili has the support of his home country of Georgia, which includes fellow countryman and UFC champion, Ilia Topuria. The two are more than just acquaintances and fully support one another as UFC titleholders. In fact, Dvalishvili intends to ask “El Matador” to help corner him at UFC 311 later this month. That’s if the UFC featherweight king has time in his busy schedule.
Check it out below:
Merab Dvalishvili plans to ask Ilia Topuria to corner him for his fight against Umar Nurmagomedov at #UFC311
Umar Nurmagomedov is already planning on fighting former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley later this year.
Umar Nurmagomedov says he will fight 3 times this year, and believes that Sean O’Malley will face the winner of the fight between him and Merab:
“Whoever wins this fight, I think O’Malley is next. [O’Malley] wants Merab to win, not because of a rematch, he thinks Merab gonna be… pic.twitter.com/8fXKUrJIDd
Michael Chandler still can’t stand Conor McGregor.
Who TF is “we” – you are a suit and the ones you wear keep getting cheaper and cheaper. You’ll be flipping through the clearance rack in no time…@TheNotoriousMMAhttps://t.co/WjW2pN4MOh
Oban Elliott taking his shot at an unlikely clash with Jorge Masvidal.
I’ll break the fourth wall here. I know the Masvidal fight is unlikely. But could you imagine it in Miami. Him getting cheered and The Welsh Gangster rolls in cutting promos trashing every single one of his disciples. The build up. Classic Baby face vs. Heel. A TKO dream! CINEMA!
Human Traffickers Beware. Watch the trailer for #AWorkingMan, starring Jason Statham and from ‘The Beekeeper’ director David Ayer. See the movie only in theaters March 28. pic.twitter.com/5F8oJLhx5a
Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight! Welcome to Midnight Mania!
Two former rivals will meet once again as former UFC champions Q…
Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight!
Welcome to Midnight Mania!
Two former rivals will meet once again as former UFC champions Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Rashad Evans step inside the boxing ring later this year in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Jackson and Evans share a past that includes a stint as coaches on The Ultimate Fighter and an eventual clash inside the Octagon at UFC 114 back in 2010. Evans won that main event matchup and Jackson has been angling for his revenge ever since.
Luckily for “Rampage,” a platform exists where two retired UFC veterans can duke it out inside the boxing ring. It’s all thanks to Influencer Crossover Series (ICS) as the promotion is set to stage “ICS Mania” at a date yet to be determined.
Although the details are minimal, both Jackson and Evans confirmed their rematch on their social media accounts. Check it out below:
“ IT’S ON! Y’all thought it was over? Nah. Time to settle this once and for all! Rashad “Suga” Evans got me last time, but that was then—this is NOW. Albuquerque, NM | 2025 (TBA)This ain’t just a fight; it’s a reckoning. Let’s see if Suga can handle Rampage 2.0! Stay tuned for the venue and PPV details. Time 4 more Black on Black crime!”
“ IT’S HAPPENING! The rivalry reignites in 2025 as two MMA legends step into the boxing ring! “SUGA” Rashad Evans vs. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson —a rematch over a decade in the making! Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico Date: 2025 (exact date TBA)This is more than a fight; it’s HISTORY. Witness the clash of two icons in a battle of skill, power, and legacy. Don’t miss your chance to be part of the action!”
X has become a place I don’t spend much time anymore. People literally making up stuff about things I never said. I see very little positive. Just every depravity occurring on earth at your fingertips. It’s overwhelming. I think awareness is important. I think this platform is… pic.twitter.com/2JRctdltCz
Sean O’Malley is ready to get back inside of the Octagon and is hoping to meet current UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili in a title fight rematch sometime in the middle of this y…
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Sean O’Malley is ready to get back inside of the Octagon and is hoping to meet current UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili in a title fight rematch sometime in the middle of this year.
In case you forgot, O’Malley lost his title in a unanimous decision loss to Dvalishvili back at UFC 306 this past September. It was only O’Malley’s second career loss and the first since a TKO defeat at the hands of Marlon Vera back in 2020. O’Malley still believes he did enough to defend his title at UFC 306, but the judges and majority of UFC fans know he lost that fight.
O’Malley is planning for big things in 2025. Just a few weeks ago, the popular UFC fighter announced that he plans to “detox” from social media in effort to focus solely on his UFC career and being a father. The former UFC champion is also coming off hip surgery, but by the sounds of it O’Malley plans to return to the Octagon sooner than originally expected.
Earlier this week, O’Malley was in Japan for RIZIN’s stacked “Decade” card. O’Malley helped ring in the festivities and stated that he had the best trip of his life. During his stay, “Suga” spoke with RIZIN TV and was asked about his return to the cage. O’Malley is hoping that Dvalishvili successfully defends his UFC bantamweight title against Umar Nurmagomedov at the upcoming UFC 311 card later this month so the two can run it back in Q2-Q3.
Check it out below:
Sean O’Malley wants to face the winner of Merab vs Umar “mid-next year”:
“Ideally, Merab beats Umar and I get the rematch. But if Umar wins, it’ll be Umar. That’s what I want next is a title fight.”
Tony Ferguson has joined the discussion about Dagestan vs. Ireland fighting and it has presented “El Cucuy” with another chance to take a shot at former rival, Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Earlier …
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Tony Ferguson has joined the discussion about Dagestan vs. Ireland fighting and it has presented “El Cucuy” with another chance to take a shot at former rival, Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Earlier this week, Nurmagomedov made headlines when speaking about fighters from Dagestan compared to those hailing from Ireland. While Khabib did acknowledge the significance of guys like Conor McGregor and surging PFL contender Paul Hughes, the former UFC lightweight king basically dumped on the rest of the Irish fight scene.
Some members of the combat community may agree with Nurmagomedov’s assessment given the dominance of Dagestani fighters across multiple MMA organizations, but others took his comments as disrespectful, This includes former UFC welterweight title challenger, Darren Till, who believes Ireland is “way ahead” of Dagestan when it comes to fighting talent.
Instead of reading the room and saving some face, Khabib doubled down on his comments on Friday. Check it out below:
You can say whatever you want, but if we’re talking about facts, you can’t compare Irish fighters with fighters from Dagestan. We dominate amateur MMA, and it’s not even close—not just compared to Irish fighters but the whole world. I’m absolutely confident that if we were to…
“You can say whatever you want, but if we’re talking about facts, you can’t compare Irish fighters with fighters from Dagestan. We dominate amateur MMA, and it’s not even close—not just compared to Irish fighters but the whole world. I’m absolutely confident that if we were to organize a team vs. team matchup, Dagestan would defeat a world team in amateur MMA.
“And when it comes to professional MMA, we have champions, contenders, and ranked fighters in every major league. Show me Irish fighters who are currently title contenders in the top 3 MMA promotions. At best, you might be able to name 1 or 2 fighters.
“The facts speak for themselves.”
Nurmagomedov’s follow-up remarks sparked a response from none other than Ferguson, who has been talking trash and feuding with Khabib for years. Ferguson took the opportunity to call Nurmagomedov’s pre-UFC resume into question while calling him out for being a “coward.”
See it below and let us know your thoughts:
Shut Up Fathead ??? Eure Still My Bitch, You fought 2 round “pro” padded fights leading up to the @ufc Easy to talk when you’re not competing ya Eunic ?? Once a coward always a coward – Champ ??? -CSO- # 29-1 ok maybe 2 pic.twitter.com/9MqsuqJDjw
