Author: Dan Hiergesell

It all goes down later tonight (Sat., May 1, 2021) at UFC Vegas 25 live on ESPN2/ESPN+ from inside UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nev., as former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Dominick Reyes takes on surging newcomer Jiri Prochazka in the main event.

In addition to the light heavyweight headliner, veteran featherweight Cub Swanson with take on a streaking Giga Chikadze in co-main event action, streaking bantamweight contender Merab Dvalishvili will look to win his sixth-straight in a clash with division mainstay Cody Stamann, and light heavyweight finishers Ion Cutelaba and Dustin Jacoby will settle their beef after a physical altercation at Friday’s weigh ins (see it HERE).

Take a look below at UFC Vegas 25’s complete fight card line up and start times:

Main Card (ESPN2/ESPN+)
10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT

Dominick Reyes vs. Jiri Prochazka
Giga Chikadze vs. Cub Swanson
Ion Cu?elaba vs. Dustin Jacoby
Sean Strickland vs. Krzysztof Jotko
Merab Dvalishvili vs. Cody Stamann
Poliana Botelho vs. Luana Carolina

‘Prelims’ Undercard (ESPN2/ESPN+)
7:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. PT

Randa Markos vs. Luana Pinheiro
Kai Kamaka III vs. T.J. Brown
Loma Lookboonmee vs. Sam Hughes
Andreas Michailidis vs. KB Bhullar
Luke Sanders vs. Felipe Colares

Here are all the ways to catch the action:

Online

• UFC Vegas 25: ‘Reyes vs. Prochazka’ entire fight card can be viewed via the ESPN+ streaming app.
• Subscriptions cost $5.99 per month.

Television

• UFC Vegas 25: ‘Reyes vs. Prochazka’ main card and “Prelims” can be viewed via ESPN2. Check your local providers or click for instant access to ESPN.
• UFC Vegas 25: ‘Reyes vs. Prochazka’ entire fight card can also be streamed via Xbox One, Apple TV, Android TV, Samsung Smart TV, and ChromeCast.

Tablet/Mobile

• UFC Vegas 25: ‘Reyes vs. Prochazka’ entire fight card can be viewed via ESPN+ streaming app through Google Play and iTunes stores.

Bars

• Check out a list of sports bars and pubs near you that will most likely be showing tonight’s fights CLICK HERE.

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vegas 25 fight card HERE, starting with the ESPN2/ESPN+ preliminary card bouts at 7 p.m. ET, followed by the ESPN2/ESPN+ main card start time at 10 p.m. ET.

Jon Jones is doing his best to prepare himself for a successful tenure in the UFC’s dangerous heavyweight division. The former UFC light heavyweight champion has all of the physical gifts to make a smooth transition, but Jones has to put all his ducks in a row if he truly wants to capitalize on a move up in weight.

Luckily, Jones is a freak of nature. The 33-year-old veteran has not only added on enough muscle to bulk up to 250 pounds but he’s consistently putting up 500-600 pounds in the weight room, proving that his body has already adapted to the life of a heavyweight.

While some have questioned Jones’ speed as a heavyweight compared to his days at 205 pounds there isn’t much proof that “Bones” is slowing down with more weight. In fact, the former UFC champion posted the below video to Instagram on Friday showing off his top-end speed. It’s quite impressive to see a 250-pound fighter jump on the treadmill for a 20 MPH sprint, but Jones makes it look easy.

As of now it’s unclear who Jones will fight in his heavyweight debut. “Bones” is desperately trying to lock down a fight with current UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou but the promotion doesn’t want to pay up to make it happen. Jones has made it clear that he doesn’t need to return to action until that fight is booked but we all know the former UFC light heavyweight champion can’t stay away for too long.

In any case, Jones is going to need this type of speed to get past some of the best guys in the heavyweight division, whether that’s Ngannou or somebody else. It should be one of Jones’ biggest weapons against stronger and larger competition.

Dominick Reyes will try to remind fans later tonight (Sat., May 1, 2021) at UFC Vegas 25 live on ESPN2/ESPN+ from inside UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nev., that he’s still one of the best light heavyweight fighters in the world today. He’ll meet rising contender Jiri Prochazka in the main event.

It’s unfamiliar territory for Reyes, who started his professional MMA career with a 12-0 record, but “Devastator” has dropped his last two trips to the Octagon. Sure those fights came against former champion Jon Jones and current champion Jan Blachowicz, but Reyes has still seen himself come up short in the most important time of his career.

Luckily, Reyes has identified the issues that have held him back in his last two fights, specifically his recent TKO loss to Blachowicz at UFC 253 back in Sept. 2020.

“Anything that could have gone wrong, went wrong,” Reyes told MMA Fighting about his loss to Blachowicz. “It’s a good learning experience. At the end of the day, it’s a great learning experience. I’m still young in my career. I’m just coming into my prime as a man. I’ve got a lot of fun times ahead of me.

“A lot of people have been recently counting me out as if I died or something. No, I just got knocked down. It is what it is.”

Reyes, who needed just two years in the UFC to lock down a title fight with the legendary Jones, is not one to make excuses. However, the 31-year-old did experience some serious changes in his camp leading up to his last Octagon appearance and believes that may have contributed to his poor performance.

“I tried to change up my style and that wasn’t the best idea,” Reyes explained. “Switched coaches and that wasn’t the best idea. It was just a lot. My mom and dad had COVID, at the time, I couldn’t see them for three months leading up to that fight.

“They’re huge, a gigantic part of my life and who I am and where I draw my power and confidence from. I didn’t show up. It’s on me, obviously. I paid the price. I draw most of my strength from my family and to not have them for three months leading up to the fight, not being able to see them or hug them. I could see them on Facetime and things like that but I couldn’t sit and talk with them or anything. My dad was pretty sick and that was weighing on me.”

Luckily, both of Reyes’ parents recovered from the COVID-19 virus. Unfortunately, Reyes couldn’t win his last fight to give them something to cheer about during the difficult time. It’s something that the young contender will have to learn from and build off as he climbs back up the 205-pound ladder.

“I’m not mad about what happened,” Reyes said about his last loss. “What happened is the way it was supposed to happen. Everything happens for a reason. It gave me the opportunity to grow. Now I’m getting ready to come out a whole new Dom.

“I feel f*cking fantastic. I feel fantastic. I am so ready. I am so freaking ready. I’m back to feeling how I did getting ready for [Chris] Weidman. I want your best version of you. Let’s go, let’s see what you’ve got. I can’t really explain it. I feel fresh. I’ve fallen back in love with the sport. For the last fight, I wasn’t enjoying what I was doing. It felt like a job. It wasn’t the move.”

If Reyes is able to take out Prochazka this weekend in Vegas it will help right the ship entering the second half of 2021. And considering Prochazka is a wild fighter who likes to go for broke from the first bell it should give Reyes the opportunity he needs to capitalize on a mistake and get his first UFC win since Oct. 2019.

“It’s an awesome matchup,” Reyes said. “He’s real exciting or crazy, they’re both interchangeable in his case. He enjoys what he’s doing. It’s going to be great. He enjoys fighting and he’s a really tough guy. I think my experience is going to show in this fight. It’s going to be like this is the UFC, this isn’t RIZIN. No offense to the guys in RIZIN but they’re not at our caliber. They’re not.

“You’re going to see some beautiful work from me. Jiri is going to put up a great fight but it’s not going to be enough. I’m going to come out with my hand raised, on top of the world, ready to take the next step, whatever it may be.”

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vegas 25 fight card HERE, starting with the ESPN2/ESPN+ preliminary card bouts at 7 p.m. ET, followed by the ESPN2/ESPN+ main card start time at 10 p.m. ET.

Kamaru Usman is on top of the world. After defending his UFC welterweight title with a blistering knockout finish over Jorge Masvidal at UFC 261 earlier this month Usman has little left to prove at 170 pounds.

Maybe that’s why the reigning UFC welterweight champion is open to a fun fight with MMA legend Nick Diaz.

Diaz, who hasn’t fought since a scrap with Anderson Silva all the way back in 2015, has been hinting at a potential comeback since last year. The former Strikeforce welterweight champion was even in attendance at UFC 261 to see Usman put Masvidal to sleep first hand. UFC president Dana White said he talked to Diaz after the event and is ready to offer him a fight.

While White seems adamant that Diaz should fight rising star Khamzat Chimaev there’s not much in that matchup for the Stockton native. For all we know Diaz has never even heard of Chimaev. He’s unlikely to end his long hiatus from fighting for a scrap with “Borz.”

That said, Usman is already interested in fighting Diaz and is even willing to put his UFC welterweight title up for grabs. Usman has defeated every top contender in the division today and deserves a fun fight against a legend of the sport. After all, Diaz is still a bigger draw than arguably anyone in the division right now, including the champ.

“We don’t know (how Diaz is going to look)”, Usman told TMZ Sports. “At the end of the day, if he got everything in order and he’s able to compete, that’s always a fun fight. Nick Diaz. Imagine, Nick Diaz at the top of the bill once more. Nick Diaz fighting for the title. That’s a humongous fight. Hopefully gets his faculties and everything in order, and if he’s able to do that, Nick is able to come in and do something spectacular… Of course, that’s always a fun fight.”

While UFC would leave a lot on the table if they didn’t find Diaz an opponent this year it’s unlikely that the veteran will step back inside of the Octagon to a title fight. Even if Diaz had been competing and an active member of the UFC’s welterweight division it would be hard to skip Colby Covington in the hunt for the title.

However, crazier things have happened in the sport over the past few years. If Usman completely shuts down Covington and calls for “Chaos” to win one more fight before their rematch then maybe things get weird and fight fans get Usman vs. Diaz.

In any case, it’s nice to see Diaz in the spotlight once more as he approaches his official return to fighting.

What do you think, fight fans? Is Usman vs. Diaz a fight you want to see?

Sound off!

Jon Jones is not stopping in his pursuit of a heavyweight title fight with current UFC champion Francis Ngannou. Despite the promotion already looking into a rematch between Ngannou and Derrick Lewis for later this year “Bones” remains confident that he can get a deal done with UFC and finally settle the beef over his heavyweight asking price.

Until Jones is able to work out the kinks with UFC and put a real contract together the MMA legend is left to pick his fight with Ngannou on social media. Ngannou, who is coming off a vicious knockout finish over Stipe Miocic at UFC 260 to win the heavyweight strap (highlights HERE), seems more than willing to engage. “Predator” is also hoping Jones and UFC fix their issues so the superfight can finally be booked.

Late Thursday, Jones jumped back on social media to take some more shots at Ngannou. Not only did “Bones” vow to run through the heavyweight division like he did at 205 pounds, but the former UFC champion is promising to bring the heavyweight strap back to America.

Remember, Ngannou hails from Cameroon and started his MMA career in France.

“Ran through the light heavyweight division on talent, about to run through the heavyweight division like dominoes off pure hard work.”

“Motivate me more @francis_ngannou.”

“The greatest title in the world is coming back to the greatest country in the world.”

“If you think you are going to run through America, you are wrong.”

Ngannou, who is confident that he can become the first fighter to actually defeat Jones inside of the Octagon, offered a response Friday afternoon. The UFC heavyweight champion questioned the motivation of Jones, claiming that the former light heavyweight king has already lost.

“I shouldn’t have to motivate you Jonny…if it’s not in you already you’ve already lost. I know my motivation.”

These back-and-forth exchanges are always fun to track as both guys are eager to do battle, but none of this matters unless UFC sits down with Jones and works a deal out. Ngannou is ready to schedule his rematch with Lewis so if the promotion doesn’t act fast this growing feud between the scariest fighter in the world today and the best fighter of all-time will slowly start to fade.

Streaking Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweight contender Zabit Magomedsharipov may be putting an end to his UFC career.

Per a recent report by Russian news outlet TASS, Magomedsharipov is seriously considering walking away from the sport of MMA. Nothing is official at this time, but a source close to Zabit said there is a high possibility that the talented featherweight will no longer compete.

“With a high degree of probability, Zabit will no longer fight,” said the source.

Following the report, Igor Lazorin of TASS revealed more details regarding Zabit’s potential retirement:

Magomedsharipov, 30, burst onto the UFC scene back in 2017 and has amassed a 6-0 record ever since. The featherweight contender already holds win over notable fighters like Calvin Katter and Jeremy Stephens, and was hoping to fight his way into a title shot in 2021.

Unfortunately, Zabit can’t seem to find a fight. The Russian fighter was expected to face Yair Rodriguez in Aug. 2020 but Rodriguez was forced to pull out of the bout and UFC officials never found a replacement. Remember, Zabit hasn’t competed since his UFC main event debut against Kattar back in Nov. 2019.

Considering Zabit fought four times in one year to start his UFC career this lengthy layoff has to be killing him, especially considering he has the talent to fight for the featherweight title right now. It’s unlikely that UFC would let Zabit walk without trying to entice him back into the fold with a high-profile bout, but it’s already taken the promotion this long so who really knows how this will play out.

If Magomedsharipov is looking for a big fight to keep himself going and UFC is going to try to keep him around then maybe a matchup with former UFC featherweight Max Holloway is in the cards. It makes the most sense right now considering current champion Alexander Volkanovski is scheduled to fight Brian Ortega later this year and fellow contenders Dan Ige and Chan Sung Jung will square off with one another this June.

What say you, Maniacs? Should UFC do what it can to keep Zabit around?

Let us know in the comments section below!