Tag: Fight Island

Aljamain Sterling vs. Petr Yan II Targeted For UFC 267

Petr Yan Aljamain SterlingAljamain Sterling became the UFC bantamweight champion back in March 2021 at UFC 259 after an illegal knee strike from Petr Yan left him disqualified from the bout. Sterling’s championship was not short of controversy with many fans divided between blaming Yan for the strike which seemed deliberate and of course Sterling for his ‘questionable’ […]

Petr Yan Aljamain Sterling

Aljamain Sterling became the UFC bantamweight champion back in March 2021 at UFC 259 after an illegal knee strike from Petr Yan left him disqualified from the bout. Sterling’s championship was not short of controversy with many fans divided between blaming Yan for the strike which seemed deliberate and of course Sterling for his ‘questionable’ reaction. 

Many fans had been left unimpressed with both fighter’s performances and whilst Sterling remained the champion, it was clear that at UFC 259, neither of the two had given a performance worthy of a belt, with many fans insisting that the bout be booked again. 

This week, Aljamain Sterling gave an update on the potential rematch. 

Whilst Sterling isn’t too keen on giving Yan a second chance after his deliberate illegal blow, he has stated he’s not going to make a stink about it. 

According to UFC President Dana White, Sterling v Yan II is currently being targeted for UFC 267 which is set to take place in October in Abu Dhabi. 

Sterling isn’t too happy however about the location, especially when the fighting promotion are holding events near his home state of New York in November as well as Las Vegas shows in December, Vegas being where Sterling currently lives. 

“To be 100 percent honest with you, I love the date, but I don’t love the location,” Sterling told MMA Junkie Radio on Thursday. “Mainly because of the hours we would have to fight at. I just had one of my worst performances – maybe not the worst – but I had some hiccups on fight day because I didn’t realize how much into the day I fought. … It would’ve been nice to fight in New York or Vegas again. But Oct. 30, I’m good with that.” (H/T MMAJunkie.com)

Sterling stated that whilst he isn’t a fan of the travel and time difference, he wouldn’t want to get into a war with president Dana White like he has done in the past. 

“I think you guys know how it goes with telling Dana White no, so I don’t think there’s much negotiation here,” Sterling said. “If I’m being 100 percent honest and transparent, I don’t think they’re going to give me an opportunity to negotiate that. I’m not looking to get in a pissing war with Dana again. So if that’s what they want, that’s what they want.”

The bout would have been scheduled for this summer but unfortunately Sterling had to undergo neck surgery as a result of the last bout. This left Aljamain unable to train or do anything for that matter. 

Whilst the first bout was no short of controversy with way the fight ended, Sterling has insisted “I don’t keep grudges, I’m all about good energy, good vibrations. At the end of the day we’re going to have a fight, and settle the score, at the end of the day, I have no respect for this guy. He talks so much sh*t for something that he did’. 

After the first bout, many fans were left divided between Yan’s recklessness and the fashion in which Sterling won the belt. 

It is no news for sure that not only will Yan and Sterling gain closure at UFC 267 but more so, the fans. 

Who do you think will take the ‘W’ this time? Aljamain Sterling or Petr Yan?

Khamzat Chimaev Returns At UFC 267 against Li Jingliang

Khamzat Chimaev2020 was not just a fantastic year for the UFC and President Dana White, but also for Chechen-born Khamzat Chimaev, who rose to fame through his performances in Abu Dhabi on the Fight Island cards of July 2020. Chimaev shocked many fans worldwide with his UFC Debut in July 2020 where he defeated middleweight John […]

Khamzat Chimaev

2020 was not just a fantastic year for the UFC and President Dana White, but also for Chechen-born Khamzat Chimaev, who rose to fame through his performances in Abu Dhabi on the Fight Island cards of July 2020.

Chimaev shocked many fans worldwide with his UFC Debut in July 2020 where he defeated middleweight John Phillips in a performance that went on to win ‘Performance of the night’. It didn’t stop there for Chimaev. Following this victory, Chimeav was electric in his post-fight interview insisting he was ready to jump back into the octagon in a moments notice. 

Chimaev’s second bout in the UFC took place only 10 days after, where he faced a Rhys McKee who unfortunately had took the fight on short notice. This was another one sided fight with Chimeav finishing McKee within the first round by TKO, this not only marked Chimaev’s second win in the UFC but also secured his second ‘Performance of the night’ bonus.

Chimaev went on to become a sensation online through his ecstatic personality and desire to fight anyone, anywhere, anytime. However the compliments came no short of criticism with many middleweights claiming they could easily ‘de-rail’ the ‘hype train’ that was Chimaev. 

Chimaev was then matched with Gerald Meerschaert, who believed he was capable of dragging Chimaev into deep water unimpressed with Chimeavs grappling and smothering approach. Chimeav instead opted for a different approach in this fight and knocked Meerschaert out in phenomenal fashion, putting him to sleep within 17 seconds. This brought Chimaev’s record to 3-0 and also marked his third ‘Performance of the night’ bonus. 

It had been rumoured that Chimeav was next to face Leon Edwards in a welterweight main event that would have catapulted Chimaev into a top-contender spot. Instead, Chimaev found himself testing positive for Covid-19 which caused him to take a hiatus from training. Chimaev found himself growing increasingly frustrated as his path to glory had been put on hold, leading Chimaev to go on a rant on Instagram which lead many to believe he had retired from the sport. 

Now, we can safely say that in 2021, we can expect to see the return of the Chimaev as he is now due to make his return to welterweight where he will face a top-15 ranked Jingliang who is coming off the back of a KO win over Santiago Ponzinibbio. The bout is scheduled to take place on October 30th in Abu Dhabi according to Combate.

Whilst it isn’t a top 10 contender, it will still make for a great match-up for Chimaev especially considering he hasn’t made an appearance in the octagon since September 2020. 

Do you think this match-up between Khamzat Chimaev and Li Jingliang?

Dana White Says Fight Island Is About To Get Much Bigger

UFC president Dana White is confident that the company’s return to Fight Island will make a big splash in Abu Dhabi. Following a global pandemic, businesses around the world ceased operations, but the UFC and Dana White began to devise plans so t…

UFC president Dana White is confident that the company’s return to Fight Island will make a big splash in Abu Dhabi. Following a global pandemic, businesses around the world ceased operations, but the UFC and Dana White began to devise plans so that fighters could still earn during such a trying time. As a response […]

Continue Reading Dana White Says Fight Island Is About To Get Much Bigger at MMA News.

UFC On ABC Breaks Multiple Viewership Records

mma in the middle eastWith two of the three scheduled events on the first leg of UFC Fight Island for 2021 complete the event appears to have been an overwhelming success. In a post by ESPN’s press room, some stats were shared from the first event on Fight Island that also marked the UFC’s return to network television airing […]

mma in the middle east

With two of the three scheduled events on the first leg of UFC Fight Island for 2021 complete the event appears to have been an overwhelming success.

In a post by ESPN’s press room, some stats were shared from the first event on Fight Island that also marked the UFC’s return to network television airing on the ABC network in the US.

UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Kattar became the second most viewed fight night main event since 2019 while the UFC 257 Countdown broke a long-standing record becoming the most viewed UFC countdown telecast of the past decade.

UFC 257 is set to host the much-anticipated return of Conor McGregor who has yet to compete since he made short work of Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in January of 2020.

The first card to air on ABC was the fight night between Max Holloway and Calvin Kattar. This fight produced an intense five-round striking clinic by the former champion Max Holloway who emerged victorious with some of the most one-sided scorecards in UFC history. Outside of the main event, the entire main card delivered with three straight KO’s to open followed by a three-round war between veterans Matt Brown and Carlos Condit.

Following this, a mid week card was held showcasing a matchup in the Welterweight division between Michael Chiesa and Neil Magny, however, this card did not air on the broadcasting network.

While this move to ABC may have only been for the single event, after pulling in record numbers as it has it is likely the UFC will return to the network in the future.

Fight Island is set to close out this weekend as UFC 257 sees Conor McGregor take on Dustin Poirier in the main event. According to UFC President Dana White, the upcoming PPV event is trending to exceed all expectations and become one of the biggest events the UFC has put on since COVID.

Matt Brown Not Happy With Judges Following Decision Loss To Condit

Carlos ConditThe UFC instantly set the bar for MMA in 2021 with UFC Fight Island 7. Whilst somewhat monotonous prelims started the event off, the main card truly delivered. Max Holloway will take most of the headlines, as his demolition of Calvin Kattar over 5 rounds was truly spectacular. However, the co-main event between Carlos Condit […]

Carlos Condit

The UFC instantly set the bar for MMA in 2021 with UFC Fight Island 7. Whilst somewhat monotonous prelims started the event off, the main card truly delivered. Max Holloway will take most of the headlines, as his demolition of Calvin Kattar over 5 rounds was truly spectacular. However, the co-main event between Carlos Condit and Matt Brown also deserves plaudits.

The two veterans of the sport have been linked numerous times throughout their illustrious careers. Whilst they are both certainly in the twilight of their fighting years, they both showcased the skills that still guaranteed them a co-main event slot. The fight was a back and forth affair. Brown utilised his wrestling in the first round, taking down Condit and maintaining top control. The second round saw Condit take the upper hand, using his own wrestling to turn the tables on Brown. The third was the most competitive, with both men having moments of dominance.

However, once it came to the judge’s decision, all three gave every round to Condit. Brown was unsurprisingly unhappy about the result and took to Twitter to vent his frustration.

However, he also took the time to show his appreciation for Max Holloway’s incredible main event performance.

Do you think Matt Brown has a valid point?

VIDEO | Bruce Buffer Scraps With A Fly At UFC Fight Island 7

Bruce BufferUFC Fight Island 7 kicked off a new year of MMA in glorious fashion, with the legendary Bruce Buffer announcing us in to a new season of fights. Max Holloway put on one of the most masterful showcases ever seen in the sport. His unanimous decision victory over Calvin Kattar was a sight to behold. […]

Bruce Buffer

UFC Fight Island 7 kicked off a new year of MMA in glorious fashion, with the legendary Bruce Buffer announcing us in to a new season of fights.

Max Holloway put on one of the most masterful showcases ever seen in the sport. His unanimous decision victory over Calvin Kattar was a sight to behold. The headliner was also accompanied by exciting bouts on the main card. With legends Matt Brown and Carlos Condit fighting an impressive three-round war, whilst Li Jingliang forced himself into the welterweight rankings, after KOing the retuning Santiago Ponzinibbio.

However, one of the most exhilarating fights on the night didn’t even include signed UFC fighters. In what was a relatively tame set of preliminary bouts, with each fight going to decision, it was Bruce Buffer who truly stood out. As the Buff was in full flow, announcing the start of the third instalment Fight Island events, the local wildlife took objection. The fly struck first, though masterful head movement allowed Buffer to avoid any serious damage. Then a rapid right hand from the Buff meant that it was lights out for his opposition.

The reply of the bizarre moment can be seen below.

Funnily enough, Buffer has dabbled in the martial arts before. However, he has of course since transitioned to the voice of the Octagon.

What are your thoughts on the bizarre encounter involving Bruce Buffer that preceded UFC Fight Island 7?