Embedded! ‘I Will Find The Shot And Put Him Away’

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We are just hours away from Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya’s middleweight title unification bout later tonight (Sat., Oct. 5, 2019) at UFC 243 live on ESPN+ PPV from inside …

UFC 243 Whittaker v Adesanya: Ultimate Media Day

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We are just hours away from Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya’s middleweight title unification bout later tonight (Sat., Oct. 5, 2019) at UFC 243 live on ESPN+ PPV from inside Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia, as the two 185-pound champions square off in a massive main event Down Under.

In preparation for the middleweight clash, the promotion has released the latest and greatest episode of UFC 243 “Embedded,” which can be seen in the above video player. This time around, the behind-the-scenes action features Ultimate Media Day, final weight cuts, official weigh ins, and telling staredowns between the event’s main card participants.

From the official YouTube description:

On Episode 6 of UFC 243 Embedded, lightweight Al Iaquinta and middleweight champion Robert Whittaker suit up for Ultimate Media Day. Their respective opponents, Dan Hooker and interim middleweight champion Israel Adesanya, also attend, as do heavyweight foes Tai Tuivasa and Serghei Spivac. After matchup staredowns in front of cameras, Saturday morning brings the weigh-in at Marvel Stadium, where they repeat the process in front of fans. UFC 243 Embedded is an all-access, behind-the-scenes video blog leading up to the middleweight title unification bout taking place Saturday, October 5th.

UFC 243 is headlined by the middleweight title unification bout pitting reigning division champion, Robert Whittaker, against current interim 185-pound titleholder, Israel Adesanya. In the lightweight co-main event, “Ragin’” Al Iaquinta collides with hometown hero, Dan “The Hangman” Hooker.

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 243 fight card on Saturday (click here), starting with the Fight Pass “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. ET, followed by the remaining undercard balance on ESPN2 at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

For the rest of the UFC 243 fight card and line up click here.

How To Watch UFC 243: ‘Whittaker Vs. Adesanya’ On ESPN+ PPV!

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It all goes down later this evening (Sat., Oct. 5, 2019) at UFC 243 live on ESPN+ PPV from inside Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia, as Robert Whittaker puts his UFC middlewe…

UFC 243 Whittaker v Adesanya: Open Workouts

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

It all goes down later this evening (Sat., Oct. 5, 2019) at UFC 243 live on ESPN+ PPV from inside Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia, as Robert Whittaker puts his UFC middleweight title on the line against undefeated interim champion Israel Adesanya in the main event.

In addition to the 185-pound headliner, which is expected to draw in nearly 60,000 live Australian fans, lightweight contenders Al Iaquinta and Dan Hooker will lock horns in an enticing co-main event matchup, heavyweight knockout artist Tai Tuivasa will try to shake off a two-fight losing skid when he takes on Sergey Spivak, welterweight talent Luke Jumeau will aim to improve his Octagon record to 3-1 when he squares off with streaking Brazilian Dhiego Lima, and Australian native Jake Matthews will headline the “Prelims” portion of UFC 243 in a welterweight affair with division prospect Rostam Akman.

Take a look below at UFC 243’s complete fight card lineup and start times:

Main Card (ESPN+ PPV)
10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT

Robert Whittaker vs. Israel Adesanya
Al Iaquinta vs. Dan Hooker
Tai Tuivasa vs. Sergey Spivak
Luke Jumeau vs. Dhiego Lima
Justin Tafa vs. Yorgan De Castro

‘Prelims’ Undercard (ESPN2)
8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT

Jake Matthews vs. Rostam Akman
Callan Potter vs. Maki Pitolo
Jamie Mullarkey vs. Brad Riddell
Megan Anderson vs. Zarah Fairn dos Santos

Early ‘Prelims’ Undercard (UFC Fight Pass)
6:45 p.m. ET / 3:45 p.m. PT

Nadia Kassem vs. Ji Yeon Kim
Khalid Taha vs. Bruno Silva

Here are all the ways to catch the action:

Online

Television

  • UFC 243: “Whittaker vs. Adesanya” main “Prelims” can be viewed via ESPN2. Check your local providers or click here for instant access to ESPN.
  • Canadian viewers can watch UFC 243’s main “Prelims” via TSN Network.

Tablet/Mobile

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 243 fight card below, starting with the Fight Pass/ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ESPN2 at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

To find out who else is competing at UFC 243 click here.

Video! ‘DC’ Delivers Priceless Reaction To Cain’s WWE Debut

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Despite recent reports of Cain Velasquez being in talks with WWE it was still surprising to see the former UFC heavyweight champion step inside of the ring last night (Fri., Oct. …

UFC 200: Tate v Nunes

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Despite recent reports of Cain Velasquez being in talks with WWE it was still surprising to see the former UFC heavyweight champion step inside of the ring last night (Fri., Oct. 4, 2019) during the SmackDown debut on FOX to take out former rival Brock Lesnar (see it again HERE).

Velasquez has been testing the waters of pro wrestling for a little while now to see if he has what it takes to make a significant crossover from MMA. While we’re still in the early stages of that crossover it seems as if the 37-year-old fighter has found his footing with WWE.

It’s certainly strange to see considering the last time Velasquez and Lesnar were in the same ring together Cain was beating up the WWE champion at UFC 121 to claim the heavyweight title. Their feud has come full circle and has now hit big FOX.

Paying close attention to Velasquez’s WWE crossover is none other than teammate and long-time friend, Daniel Cormier. The former UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight champion tuned in to last night’s SmackDown event to witness Cain enter the ring alongside Rey Mysterio and pummel Lesnar into the canvas. Cormier’s priceless reaction can be seen below, courtesy of ESPN’s Marc Raimondi:

“F—k yeah, baby,” screamed Cormier. “Beat his f—king ass again. Oh my goodness.”

“This is crazy. This is so crazy,” he continued. “That didn’t take long. Go back, Brock. Go get some. Go get you some of that, Brock.”

Remember, Cormier has some history with Lesnar as well. “DC” was expected to welcome the WWE star back into the Octagon after an altercation at UFC 226, but their proposed heavyweight superfight fizzled out after Lesnar and UFC were unable to come to terms on a new deal. Seeing Velasquez get his hands back on Lesnar and make him pay inside of the WWE ring must have been a welcomed sight for Cormier, who is also an avid wrestling fan.

Only time will tell how long Velasquez can keep this WWE thing going, but as long as he’s there Cormier will be watching closely. And who knows, maybe Cormier will join Velasquez in the WWE ring after his upcoming trilogy fight with UFC heavyweight king Stipe Miocic.

Video! Velasquez Crashes WWE SmackDown, Batters Brock Lesnar

Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez made his WWE debut last night (Fri., Oct. 4, 2019) during the SmackDown premier on FOX, as he crashed the ring to battle former UFC titleholder Brock Lesnar, who had just defeated WWE Champion …

Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez made his WWE debut last night (Fri., Oct. 4, 2019) during the SmackDown premier on FOX, as he crashed the ring to battle former UFC titleholder Brock Lesnar, who had just defeated WWE Champion Kofi Kingston in 10 seconds to win the title.

Velasquez made his way to the ring alongside WWE legend Rey Mysterio and eventually secured a beautiful takedown on Brock. The former UFC champion followed that up with a flurry of strikes before Lesnar kicked him off and scurried out of the ring. Lesnar would go on to flaunt his new WWE world title before retreating to the back.

Check out Velasquez’s beatdown on Lesnar above courtesy of WWE. Lesnar’s ridiculous win over Kingston can be seen below:

Well, it looks like the rumors are true.

Velasquez, 37, was reportedly in talks with WWE and AEW just this past week. The former UFC champion had been recently trying his hand in pro wrestling and apparently has enough chops in the ring to run with the big dogs. Velasquez is already known for his high motor and athleticism, evident by his 12-3 record as a UFC heavyweight, so it’ll be interesting to see what he can do alongside WWE talent.

Lesnar, who lost to Velasquez via first-round TKO back at UFC 121, is the best type of opponent for Cain if he ends up getting an actual match. Outside of the history shared between the two former UFC champions, Lesnar’s lack of technical wrestling will likely even in the playing field and give Velasquez a little more room for error.

Only time will tell how far Velasquez ends of taking this WWE crossover, but with the wrestling organization now part of big FOX Cain may be able to make a solid run at it given his history with the network as part of UFC.

After all, Velasquez has recently informed UFC of his removal from the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) testing pool (per MMA Junkie), thus putting his UFC career on a prolonged hiatus and his pro wrestling venture into high gear.

Stick with Mania for more news on Velasquez’s WWE crossover.

Iaquinta Weighs In On ’Disrespectful’ BMF Title

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Conor McGregor isn’t the only fighter to recently bash the upcoming “BMF” title fight between welterweight fan favorites Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal this November at UFC 24…

UFC Fight Night Iaquinta v Cowboy: Open Workouts

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Conor McGregor isn’t the only fighter to recently bash the upcoming “BMF” title fight between welterweight fan favorites Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal this November at UFC 244.

Former UFC lightweight title challenger Al Iaquinta, who will meet Dan Hooker in the co-main event of UFC 243 this weekend in Melbourne, Australia, also discussed the new “BMF” belt and what it means to the sport of fighting.

While Iaquinta agrees that Diaz and Masvidal are two very tough veterans who carry themselves like the “baddest motherf—kers” on the planet, the New York native isn’t ready to crown either fighter the “BMF” king. Instead, that title deserves to go to the real division champ, according to “Raging Al.”

“I don’t know, I think the toughest motherf*cker is the champ, the real champ,” Iaquinta told MMA Fighting.

“I don’t know, it’s a little weird that they’re actually going to put a belt on somebody that’s not the champ, but those are two bad motherf*ckers, so it’s whatever. It’s not my thing, I’m more of a traditionalist, the champ is the champ. I would feel very disrespected as a champion if they were putting a belt on someone else in my weight class.”

Despite his disapproval for creating a belt that can’t a hold a candle to a real UFC title, Iaquinta is happy to see former lightweight standout Masvidal doing so well at 170 pounds. Remember, Iaquinta holds a victory over “Gamebred” after defeating the Miami native via split decision back in 2015. In hindsight, that was one of the most impressive wins of Iaquinta’s UFC career.

“He’s always been a tough guy, he’s always been tough so he’s finally getting the credit that he deserves and I think he’s found something new at 170,” Iaquinta said. “I think he enjoys being a little bigger and not cutting so much weight and depleting himself. It’s more like he’s just street fighting, I think that’s more his kind of thing. He gets in there, he doesn’t cut too much weight and I’m happy that he’s found a lot of success there.”

Masvidal has certainly shined in his last two outings — producing back-to-back knockouts in the very first round — and deserves all of the attention he’s been getting over the past several months. Maybe “Gamebred” will even pay the good fortune forward and cheer on Iaquinta when he takes on Hooker this weekend in Melbourne.

UFC 243 will go down tomorrow night (Sat., Oct. 5, 2019) live on ESPN+ PPV from inside Marvel Stadium and feature a main event title fight between current UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker and interim king Israel Adesanya.

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 243 fight card below, starting with the Fight Pass/ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ESPN2 at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

To find out who else is competing at UFC 243 click here.

Adesanya Hopes To Bank $100 Million In UFC

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Israel Adesanya is looking to cap off an incredible run atop the UFC’s dangerous middleweight division with a championship win over current king Robert Whittaker tomorrow night (S…

UFC 243 Whittaker v Adesanya: Ultimate Media Day

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Israel Adesanya is looking to cap off an incredible run atop the UFC’s dangerous middleweight division with a championship win over current king Robert Whittaker tomorrow night (Sat., Oct. 5, 2019) at UFC 243 live on ESPN+ PPV from inside Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia.

If “Last Stylebender” is able to take out Whittaker and become the undefeated champion he’ll be well on his way to becoming one of the biggest stars in the sport today. After all, Adesanya made his Octagon debut just shy of two years ago. That’s incredibly impressive, especially considering the former kickboxer had just 11 professional fights to his name before testing the UFC ranks.

With greater success inside of the cage and more notoriety outside of it, “Last Stylebender” stands to earn a little extra cash for his efforts. It may come as a surprise that Adesanya is aiming to make Conor McGregor money during his UFC career, but the undefeated Nigerian fighter has been aiming for the stars ever since he got to the big show. Taking a stab at a $100 million payday isn’t a bad idea, especially when he’s on the cusp of UFC gold.

“I’ll make that purse in MMA, guaranteed. I’ll make that purse in the UFC,” Adesanya told MMA Fighting. “You can make $100 million in the UFC. You don’t have to go to boxing. Only Mayweather is going to make that. Only McGregor is going to make that, when he fought Mayweather, so that’s the Mayweather effect.

“That’s going to happen in the UFC. I guarantee you. I might be the first to do it in the UFC.”

Adesanya, 30, actually competed in boxing from 2014-2015, compiling a 5-1 professional record in the process. He certainly didn’t earn Mayweather money during his time inside of the squared circle, but he made a successful run in yet another combat sport.

While “Last Stylebender” is hoping to earn the most money possible during his MMA career, his journey in the sport isn’t entirely based around green paper and presidential heads. Instead, Adesanya is hoping to create an everlasting legacy in UFC and prove he’s one of the best to ever do it.

“It’s not about the money at the end of the day,” said Adesanya. “I’m doing this for legacy. This is where I’m going to end my career. I don’t want to fight the baddest motherf—ers in the world and then go fight some guy and (say) ‘oh we’ll duke it out but we’re only using our hands!’ I’ve got to kick someone in the face!”

Only time will tell if Adesanya has what it takes to hand Whittaker his first loss at 185 pounds and walk out of UFC 243 with the undisputed middleweight title. If he’s able to do that then bigger paydays and greater legacies are surely in store for the ultra-impressive striker.

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 243 fight card below, starting with the Fight Pass/ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ESPN2 at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

To find out who else is competing at UFC 243 click here.