Frankie Edgar was told after UFC 194 that he would be fighting current UFC featherweight champion, Conor McGregor, next. However, that didn’t happen. Instead, Edgar has been left on the sidelines as McGregor fought Nate Diaz at UFC 196 and lost. After the event, many thought that McGregor would drop back to featherweight and fight
Frankie Edgar was told after UFC 194 that he would be fighting current UFC featherweight champion, Conor McGregor, next. However, that didn’t happen. Instead, Edgar has been left on the sidelines as McGregor fought Nate Diaz at UFC 196 and lost.
After the event, many thought that McGregor would drop back to featherweight and fight Edgar next. Once again, that didn’t happen as McGregor is set to fight Diaz again at UFC 200 and the UFC booked Edgar vs. former champ Jose Aldo at the event. Keep in mind that the winner of the Aldo – Edgar is supposed to fight McGregor next.
Edgar recently spoke out about the upcoming fight with Aldo and a possible fight with McGregor. According to Edgar, he plans to beat Aldo at UFC 200 and then he wants to fight McGregor at UFC 205 in November at Madison Square Garden in New York.
“I’d love to get a win here in July and then fight McGregor for that real title in the Garden in November,” Edgar told FOXBusiness.com. “If not McGregor, then I’ll be defending my title in the Garden.”
“It’s kind of silly. It doesn’t really make sense,” Edgar said. “But I get to fight a five-round fight, I get to fight a legend in Aldo and be on one of the biggest cards in UFC history. There’s a lot of plus sides to it. And also, the interim’s going to guarantee me a shot at the title. If I hold the interim, there’s no ifs, ands or buts about it. I have to be fighting that guy for the title, or my title becomes the title if [McGregor] doesn’t come down.”
We all know that the UFC is planning to stack the card for the first event at MSG and with a title massive title fight with McGregor, the UFC could easily book that fight between McGregor and Edgar.
Paul Daley has been waiting six long years to get revenge against Josh Koscheck, so you can understand why “Semtex” was a little fired up during their recent staredown across the pond.
Especially after this recen…
Let’s get right to it:
Paul Daley has been waiting six long years to get revenge against Josh Koscheck, so you can understand why “Semtex” was a little fired up during their recent staredown across the pond.
“Kos” captured a unanimous decision win over the British bomber at UFC 113, a performance that left Daley so frustrated he took a post-fight swing at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) veteran, which cost him his job with the world’s largest fight promotion.
Now that both fighters have been acquired by Bellator MMA, they’ll have a chance to settle their welterweight score at the Bellator 158 event on Spike TV, set for Sat., July 16, 2016 inside O2 Arena in London, England. That’s the same card where Kimbo Slice and James Thompson rematch in heavyweight action.
Karim Zidan spoke to Russia’s top flyweight, Magomed Bibulatov, about his UFC aspirations and the significance behind Ramzan Kadyrov’s MMA involvement. At the start of 2016, the World Fighting Championships of Akhmat (WFCA) compiled an exten…
Karim Zidan spoke to Russia’s top flyweight, Magomed Bibulatov, about his UFC aspirations and the significance behind Ramzan Kadyrov’s MMA involvement.
At the start of 2016, the World Fighting Championships of Akhmat (WFCA) compiled an extensive list of foreign fighters to form various Grand Prix tournaments against their scores of Chechen fighters. Fighter such as Desmond Green, Kurt Holobaugh, Thiago Silva and Paulo Thiago were flown over to Grozny for the opening rounds of their respective tournaments. However, the crowning jewel of the first show was WSOF flyweight champion Magomed Bibulatov.
Bibulatov, fresh of a victory in the United States, returned to his native Chechnya to take part in the flyweight tournament. His opening match was against Irmeson Oliveira, whom he defeated in the show’s main event by unanimous decision. His semi-final match-up against Jarred Brooks will take place on May 22n.
“I have a good opponent for my next fight,” Bibulatov told BloodyyElbow. “Impressive wrestler, and with such a competitor it is difficult to have a fight. But I tell you, I faced stronger opponents and I have defeated them.”
Though he technically has two fights remaining on his WSOF contract, Bibulatov made it evidently clear that his focus in 2016 is to win the Akhmat flyweight Grand Prix and then set his sights on the UFC.
“I really want to test myself in the UFC,” Magomed said. “I hope to perform there in 2017. Currently, my main purpose is to win the belt in the Akhmat League.”
Many pundits have anointed Bibulatov as one of the few flyweights who could pose a legitimate threat to UFC champion Demetrious Johnson. While Magomed would not dispute that, he revealed that it is far too premature to discuss strategies against the champion of another organization.
“It’s too early to talk about the fight with the champion of the UFC. I can fight even today but in order to win it will take a lot of work.”
Bibulatov is one of the many Russian prospects that hail from Chechnya, a republic that embodies a culture and spirit that has frequently brought it into conflict with ethnic Russia. Violence that began in the time of Ivan Grozny (Ivan the Terrible in Western literature), resumed during Peter the Great’s reign, and finally appeared to end following the Second Chechen War during Putin’s era, created a proud and aggressive people hardened by war.
In an attempt to redirect youngsters from Islamic fundamentalism, local governments focused on funding sporting events such as wrestling and sambo tournaments. MMA eventually became one of the sports that emerged following the end of conflict between the Chechen Republic and the Kremlin. This was also due to Ramzan Kadyrov, who emerged as the republic’s leader following the conflict.
While known in Western media as a dictator with a bloody past, Chechen fighters praised Kadyrov for his pivotal role in the development of combat sports in the North Caucasus, particularly in Chechnya.
“The main sports fan of the republic is Ramzan Kadyrov. He provides comprehensive support for the Chechen athletes and so, we have everything we need to achieve the best results in MMA.”
Kadyrov’s involvement includes the development of an enormous training facility for Chechen fighters, as well as the creation of his own MMA promotion, WFCA (also known as Akhmat MMA). Despite his political career, Kadyrov attends MMA shows in Chechnya, especially if they involve some of his favorite fighters like Bibulatov.
“I have a very good relationship with the head of our country, Ramzan Akhmatovich Kadyrov,” Bibulatov explained. “I have achieved such results in this sport because of him. Wherever I perform, he always supports me. I am proud that I have such a brother.”
On Monday, UFC added the complete “Countdown to UFC 197” preview special to their official YouTube channel.
Featured below is the two-part episode, which features a look at the two championship matches scheduled for this Saturday’s event.
First u…
On Monday, UFC added the complete “Countdown to UFC 197” preview special to their official YouTube channel.
Featured below is the two-part episode, which features a look at the two championship matches scheduled for this Saturday’s event.
First up, former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones battles 205-pound contender Ovince Saint Preux for the interim Light Heavyweight title. In the co-featured bout, UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious Johnson puts his title on the line against former Olympic gold medalist and undefeated rising MMA contender Henry Cejudo.
UFC 197: Jones vs. St. Preux takes place on Saturday, April 23, 2016. Make sure to visit MMANews.com this Saturday for the best UFC 197 live results coverage on the web!
NOTE: Due to audio issues, UFC has removed the Jones-Saint Preux portion of the “Countdown to UFC 197” episode from their YouTube channel. We will re-add the new Jones-Saint Preux upload whenever it becomes available.
Watch the Demetrious Johnson vs Henry Cejudo title fight get previewed by the UFC 197 Countdown Show. Another pay-per-view event is coming up, and Zuffa has released their traditional ‘Countdown to UFC 197’ show to preview the main bouts. On…
Watch the Demetrious Johnson vs Henry Cejudo title fight get previewed by the UFC 197 Countdown Show.
Another pay-per-view event is coming up, and Zuffa has released their traditional ‘Countdown to UFC 197‘ show to preview the main bouts. On this segment, they feature the co-headlining bout, a flyweight title defense from one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in Demetrious Johnson. His next challenger is Henry Cejudo, and the show does a good job of hyping the Olympic Gold Medalist.
Watch the clip above, and check out the full fight card below:
Wrestling gold medalist Henry Cejudo looks to dethrone dominant flyweight titleholder Demetrious Johnson. UFC 197 Countdown goes inside the training camps of these driven athletes as they prepare for their Las Vegas date with destiny.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will attempt to restore order to the light heavyweight division with the return of Jon Jones, who wants to reclaim the 205-pound title that was stripped from his waist back in 2015. In the UFC 197 five-ro…
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will attempt to restore order to the light heavyweight division with the return of Jon Jones, who wants to reclaim the 205-pound title that was stripped from his waist back in 2015. In the UFC 197 five-round championship co-main event, flyweight kingpin Demetrious Johnson will face his toughest test to date in Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo.
Event: UFC 197: “Jones vs. Saint Preux” Date: Sat., April 23, 2016, on pay-per-view (PPV) Location: MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada
UFC 197 PPV Main Event:
205 lbs.: Jon Jones vs. Ovince Saint Preux for UFC Light Heavyweight Interim Championship (Daniel Cormier injured)
UFC 197 PPV Co-Main Event:
125 lbs.: UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious Johnson vs. Henry Cejudo
UFC 197 PPV Main Card (10 p.m. ET):
155 lbs.: Edson Barboza vs. Anthony Pettis 185 lbs.: Rafael Natal vs. Robert Whittaker 145 lbs.: Andre Fili vs. Yair Rodriguez
UFC 197 FOX Sports 1 “Prelims” (8 p.m. ET):
135 lbs.: Chris Kelades vs. Sergio Pettis 170 lbs.: Danny Roberts vs. Dominique Steele 115 lbs.: Juliana Lima vs. Carla Esparza 155 lbs.: Glaico Franca vs. James Vick
UFC 197 Fight Pass “Prelims” (6:30 p.m. ET):
265 lbs.: Cody East vs. Walt Harris 185 lbs.: Clint Hester vs. Marcos Rogerio de Lima 155 lbs.: Efrain Escudero vs. Kevin Lee
For much more on the upcoming UFC 197 PPV extravaganza click here.
