Tag: ilia topuria

Umar Nurmagomedov Points Out Merab Dvalishvili’s Hypocrisy: ‘When Topuria Fought For The Title…’

Umar Nurmagomedov doesn’t think newly crowned UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili has been consistent with his views. Dvalishvili secured a long-awaited crowning in the main event of this past weekend’s UFC 306 (Noche UFC) pay-per-view, held inside the unique surroundings of the Sphere in Las Vegas. The Georgian closed out the show with a dominant […]

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Umar Nurmagomedov doesn’t think newly crowned UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili has been consistent with his views.

Dvalishvili secured a long-awaited crowning in the main event of this past weekend’s UFC 306 (Noche UFC) pay-per-view, held inside the unique surroundings of the Sphere in Las Vegas.

The Georgian closed out the show with a dominant grappling performance to unseat Sean O’Malley from the 135-pound throne, making good on his confident pre-fight predictions to end “Suga’s” reign.

While the Montana native looks to work his way back to the gold in his return down the line, “The Machine’s” focus will soon turn to the start of his divisional rule. And the champ isn’t short on potential threats.

Leading the pack appears to be Umar Nurmagomedov, who seemed to place himself as next in line for a shot by getting the better of Cory Sandhagen in Abu Dhabi last month. The Dagestani was in attendance on Saturday night as his possible next opponent emerged.

Dvalishvili, however, has remained consistent in dismissing “The Young Eagle” as a worthy contender, insisting that Nurmagomedov hasn’t done enough to earn an opportunity over Deiveson Figueiredo.

Nurmagomedov Further Questions Dvalishvili’s Stance On His Title Shot

Amid Dvalishvili’s frequent downplaying of his title credentials, Nurmagomedov has hit back on social media, claiming that real champs do not attempt to “choose” their opponents and urging the Georgian not to duck him.

And in his latest post on the topic, the undefeated contender accused Dvalishvili of hypocrisy by comparing his UFC résumé to date — which “The Machine” has rejected as being title shot-worthy — with that of his friend and compatriot Ilia Topuria before he challenged for the featherweight gold this year.

“When Merab’s friend, Topuria fought for the title, after 6 consecutive wins, and beating only one top 5 ranked opponent Josh Emmet, I don’t remember that Merab was desperately protesting against such ‘unfairness’.”

It remains to be seen what will come in the immediate future for Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov. But with both the Dagestani and the in-form Figueiredo staking their claims, the UFC certainly has a big decision to make.

Continue Reading Umar Nurmagomedov Points Out Merab Dvalishvili’s Hypocrisy: ‘When Topuria Fought For The Title…’ at MMA News.

What’s Next After UFC 307? Full Confirmed UFC 308 Main Card For Abu Dhabi On Oct. 26

UFC 307 is in the books, meaning attention will soon turn to the mixed martial arts leader’s next pay-per-view offering. The promotion was in Salt Lake City last week, where the Delta Center played host to a number of intriguing matchups for its latest major card in the “Beehive State.” Of note were title fight wins for […]

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UFC 307 is in the books, meaning attention will soon turn to the mixed martial arts leader’s next pay-per-view offering.

The promotion was in Salt Lake City last week, where the Delta Center played host to a number of intriguing matchups for its latest major card in the “Beehive State.” Of note were title fight wins for Alex Pereira and Julianna Peña, as well as important victories for Kayla Harrison and Joaquin Buckley.

While the aftermath of the October 5 card is currently the talk of the town, it won’t be long until focus sways to the next PPV, and from the light heavyweight title picture to the 145-pound championship conversation.

At UFC 308, set for the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on October 26, reigning featherweight kingpin Ilia Topuria will compete for the second time this year, this time in defense of gold. Following a knockout of Alexander Volkanovski to capture the crown, “El Matador” will next face the challenge of BMF titleholder Max Holloway.

Stakes will also be high in the co-headliner, as former middleweight champ Robert Whittaker looks to continue his fine winning form in 2024. “The Reaper” is set for a second attempt at sharing the cage with Khamzat Chimaev following their canceled headliner in Saudi Arabia this past June.

Ankalaev, Murphy, Magomedov Set The Stage For Title Headliners At UFC 308

Before Topuria defends his belt and Whittaker looks to secure a shot at regaining champ status in the Middle East, a number of other high-profile names will take to the Octagon looking to make the most of their position on the major card.

That includes surging featherweight Lerone Murphy. Despite an impressive main event win over Edson Barboza earlier this year, “The Miracle” will be defending his #12 spot in the rankings against Dan Ige, who is returning for the first time since his same-day assignment opposite Diego Lopes this past June.

Prior to that, Pereira’s next challenger at light heavyweight could be decided as #2-ranked contender Magomed Ankalaev shares the cage with the highly regarded Aleksandar Raki?

And opening the main card will be a familiar face in the Middle East, Sharabutdin Magomedov. Two of “Bullet’s” Octagon wins have come in Abu Dhabi, with the other going down in Saudi Arabia. The Russian will make the walk inside Etihad Arena again on Oct. 26, this time to throw down with Armen Petrosyan.

Those pairings have gotten the nod to feature on the main card over the welterweight clash between ex-lightweight titleholder Rafael dos Anjos and Geoff Neal, which is currently slated to top the preliminary portion of the event.

See below for the full UFC 308 card, as it stands.

Main Card:

  • Featherweight Championship Main Event: Ilia Topuria (C) vs. Max Holloway
  • Middleweight Co-Main Event: Robert Whittaker vs. Max Holloway
  • Featherweight: Lerone Murphy vs. Dan Ige
  • Light Heavyweight: Magomed Ankalaev vs. Aleksandar Raki?
  • Middleweight: Sharabutdin Magomedov vs. Armen Petrosyan

Preliminary Card:

  • Welterweight: Geoff Neal vs. Rafael dos Anjos
  • Lightweight: Mateusz R?becki vs. Myktybek Orolbai
  • Bantamweight: Said Nurmagomedov vs. Daniel Santos
  • Middleweight: Abus Magomedov vs. Brunno Ferreira
  • Heavyweight: Kennedy Nzechukwu vs. Justin Tafa
  • Bantamweight: Farid Basharat vs. Victor Hugo
  • Welterweight: Rinat Fakhretdinov vs. Nursulton Ruziboev
  • Middleweight: Bruno Silva vs. Ismail Naurdiev
  • Light Heavyweight: Ibo Aslan vs. Raffael Cerqueira
Magomed Ankalaev
Image: UFC/Zuffa LLC

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Ilia Topuria On Why He Will Turn Down Conor McGregor Fight If Offered: ‘We Have Lost An Idol’

Ilia Topuria recently said that the prospect of a fight with Conor McGregor no longer appeals to him. “El Matador” had consistently expressed his enthusiasm for stepping into the Octagon with the former two-division UFC champion, even suggesting he would move up to lightweight, if necessary, to make the dream fight a reality. With no […]

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Ilia Topuria recently said that the prospect of a fight with Conor McGregor no longer appeals to him.

“El Matador” had consistently expressed his enthusiasm for stepping into the Octagon with the former two-division UFC champion, even suggesting he would move up to lightweight, if necessary, to make the dream fight a reality. With no clear indication of McGregor’s return, the reigning UFC featherweight champion’s ambitions have begun to wane.

“The Notorious” has been absent from active competition since suffering a leg break in his trilogy bout against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021. Despite sporadically teasing a return, McGregor had even lined up a fight against Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in June. However, the bout was scrapped at the last minute, with the Irishman withdrawing due to injury.

In numerous interviews and social media posts, McGregor has repeatedly claimed he’s determined to make his UFC comeback. However, his words often don’t align with his actions, as he’s frequently seen engaging in activities outside of MMA or promoting his liquor brand.

This inconsistency is exactly why Topuria believes that “The Notorious” has lost his fire for the sport.

Topuria On Dropping Super Fight Ambitions: ‘He’s Not The McGregor That Moved Masses’

During a recent appearance on Spanish streamer Ibai Llanos’ YouTube channel, “El Matador” revealed that his eagerness to face McGregor has faded. The 27-year-old Spaniard remarked that the UFC icon’s career is on a downward trajectory, emphasizing that McGregor’s absence from the Octagon has diminished the allure that once enthralled the masses.

“I wouldn’t like to fight McGregor,” Topuria said. “I mean, McGregor would be an option if I could fight him, but right now, even if they [the UFC] offered me a fight with him, I would say no because there are bigger fights than him. He is not the same; he’s not the McGregor that once moved the masses.”

Topuria further shared that he once looked up to McGregor and aspired to follow in his footsteps. However, he now feels that the former UFC lightweight champion, who once dominated the sport, has spiraled into a life overshadowed by self-destructive behavior.

“He’s now a McGregor who represents alcohol and drugs more than the sport. I was inspired by Conor. I admired him when I was younger. He lost it because he betrayed the values that had brought him to the top. We have lost an idol.”

“El Matador” is gearing up to put his featherweight title on the line against Max Holloway in the main event of UFC 308, scheduled for October 26 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Topuria captured the 145-pound championship with a spectacular knockout of former titleholder Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 this past February.

Continue Reading Ilia Topuria On Why He Will Turn Down Conor McGregor Fight If Offered: ‘We Have Lost An Idol’ at MMA News.

PFL Champion: Only One Active UFC Fighter Bigger Star Than Sean O’Malley

Sean O’Malley had clear star potential from the moment that he impressed Dana White with his Contender Series debut that earned him a UFC contract. Having been the main event in his last two outings where he won the bantamweight title and defended it, “Suga” is back to headline his biggest event to date. At […]

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Sean O’Malley had clear star potential from the moment that he impressed Dana White with his Contender Series debut that earned him a UFC contract.

Having been the main event in his last two outings where he won the bantamweight title and defended it, “Suga” is back to headline his biggest event to date.

At UFC 306 this weekend, he will be the last man to walk out at a historic event hosted inside the Sphere for Noche UFC.

Given the demographic that O’Malley is able to connect with and his polarizing qualities, there’s no denying that he’s one of the biggest names in the sport right now.

However, a former PFL winner recently made the case for why there is another fighter on the roster that is currently the brightest active star that the promotion has.

Brendan Loughnane Says Ilia Topuria Is A Bigger Star Than Sean O’Malley Right Now

Ilia Topuria put in some incredible performances during his path to becoming featherweight champion.

After capping that off by stopping Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298, “El Matador” really cemented himself as one of the top names in the UFC right now.

What some fans may not have realized at the time is the amount of support he has in Europe from both his Spanish and Georgian fans.

This was proven in front of our very eyes when he took the belt back home to Spain and walked out, as the champion, in front of the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, the home of Real Madrid.

Looking at social media numbers alone, Topuria has a bigger following on Instagram with 4.5 million to O’Malley’s 4.3 million, despite the fact that “Suga” has been a notable name in the UFC for longer.

On a recent episode of Uncaged by talkSPORT MMA, 2022 PFL featherweight champion and 2024 finalist Brendan Loughnane made the case for why Topuria takes the top spot right now.

“Do you know what? There’s one man that we’re missing out on here that’s totally missed the conversation. Ilia Topuria, I’d put above him [O’Malley] right now, I really would. He’s walking out at the Bernabéu! Ilia Topuria has just knocked out our guy Volk who is pound-for-pound, wherever you put him, he’s in that conversation. He’s doing the same thing that Sean’s doing. I’ve never seen anyone captivate an audience quite like, well obviously bar Conor McGregor, let’s take Conor McGregor out of this, I would put Ilia above Sean O’Malley right now. Just due to the fact of the way he finished Volk.

“Sean’s got great finishes along the way, he’s obviously finished Sterling and all that but I’m talking personally. I just, this Ilia Topuria thing and the train that’s moving at the minute, again I don’t want to keep going on about this Bernabéu thing but do you know how big, well I know you know, but that is humongous and I just know what’s going on because I have the same manager as this guy. I know the type of deals he’s getting, I know the type of circles he’s moving in, he’s had less fights than Sean in the UFC I believe and I just feel like his train is moving a little bit faster at the minute, maybe I’m completely wrong.”

Read also: Dana White Responds To ‘Experts’ Criticizing Noche UFC: ‘Talked About That UFC 300 Wasn’t A Good Card!’

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Sean O’Malley Puts Umar Nurmagomedov Among ‘Lot Of Options’ For Future Opponent: ‘Max, Ilia, Figgy…’

UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley doesn’t believe Umar Nurmagomedov is set in stone as his next opponent should he get the better of Merab Dvalishvili this fall. Nurmagomedov kept his undefeated record intact at this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi by recording the biggest win of his career to date. The Dagestani […]

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UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley doesn’t believe Umar Nurmagomedov is set in stone as his next opponent should he get the better of Merab Dvalishvili this fall.

Nurmagomedov kept his undefeated record intact at this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi by recording the biggest win of his career to date. The Dagestani got the better of Cory Sandhagen in what marked his maiden main event on the sport’s biggest stage.

Against the former interim title challenger and longtime top-five contender, Nurmagomedov secured a convincing victory on the judges’ scorecards, showcasing his striking and a relentless grappling pursuit in spite of Sandhagen’s strong defense.

Having added “The Sandman” to his ever-growing résumé, the 28-year-old staked his claim for a first title shot and is widely expected to challenge whoever emerges from O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili’s championship clash at the Sphere this September with the gold in their possession.

The current champ, however, doesn’t think that is a certainty…

O’Malley: Nurmagomedov Not Definitely Next After Dvalishvili Defense

During the latest episode of his TimboSugarShow, O’Malley reflected on Nurmagomedov’s statement-making performance in the Middle East and assessed whether a clash with the Russian lies in his future.

While many have concluded that Nurmagomedov is next in line after Dvalishvili, “Sugar” dismissed that as a cemented plan, instead pointing to Deiveson Figueiredo — who got the better of Marlon Vera this past weekend — as a possible challenger and reiterating his featherweight ambitions.

“It’s an interesting matchup, O’Malley vs. Nurmagomedov,” O’Malley said. “Figgy beat ‘Chito’ on the same card. Figgy called me out. That could be next. I don’t know. Max (Holloway) vs. Ilia (Topuria) is coming up; I would love an opportunity to go up to ’45.

“Max, Ilia, Nurmagomedov, Figgy; I’ve got a lot of options,” O’Malley continued. “I feel like I’ll be able to make a callout. Obviously, last fight I beat ‘Chito,’ called out Ilia, didn’t get that fight. So just because you win, doesn’t mean you’re gonna be able to pick. But if I got out there and flatline Merab, I feel like that callout would mean something. It depends what happens. … Maybe Umar and Figgy fight.”

Nurmagomedov has previously accused the champ of looking to avoid him, branding his prediction of another withdrawal from the Sandhagen matchup as wishful thinking from an O’Malley who doesn’t like his chances against him.

“Sugar’s” latest remarks will likely only increase those claims from Nurmagomedov, who now sits behind only Dvalishvili in the UFC bantamweight rankings following his exploits inside the Octagon this past weekend.

Continue Reading Sean O’Malley Puts Umar Nurmagomedov Among ‘Lot Of Options’ For Future Opponent: ‘Max, Ilia, Figgy…’ at MMA News.

Video – UFC featherweight Ilia Topuria involved in bar fight, punches assailant during physical altercation

Ilia Topuria UFC Ilia Topuria Bar FightFootage has emerged tonight detailing an alleged physical altercation between UFC featherweight fighter, Ilia Topuria and an unknown assailant at a bar, in which the former punches his attacker multiple times before the altercation is broken up. Topuria, 25, currently holds the #9 rank in the official featherweight rankings, most recently competing on the main […]

Ilia Topuria UFC Ilia Topuria Bar Fight

Footage has emerged tonight detailing an alleged physical altercation between UFC featherweight fighter, Ilia Topuria and an unknown assailant at a bar, in which the former punches his attacker multiple times before the altercation is broken up.

Topuria, 25, currently holds the #9 rank in the official featherweight rankings, most recently competing on the main card of UFC 282 back in December of last year.

The Halle Westfalen-born fighter improved to 13-0 as a professional at the T-Mobile Arena event, maintaining his undefeated record with a one-sided second round submission win over The Ultimate Fighter alum, Bryce Mitchell, landing an arm-triangle finish. The win earned Topuria a Performance of the Night bonus in his featherweight division return. 

In the time since, Ilia Topuria, who has been linked with multiple opponents for his next Octagon walk, has yet to be booked officially by the UFC, however, appears to have been involved in an alleged physical altercation at a bar. 

In footage posted on Twitter by @MMADIRTnet, Ilia Topuria, who is playing an arcade game at a bar, is approached by an unknown assailant on CCTV footage, who then proceeds to shove and push the UFC featherweight fighter.

In retaliation, Topuria punches the assailant on multiple occasions before he is corralled by onlookers in the bar and the physical altercation is subsequently broken up. 

Competing five times under the banner of the UFC, Topuria managed to land in the promotion with a unanimous decision win over Youssef Zalal back in October 2020 on ‘Fight Island’ in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Ilia Topuria scored a pair of stoppage victories last year

In the time since, Topuria landed comprehensive knockout wins over Damon Jackson, and tricky grappler, Ryan Hall – before handing Wolverhampton native, Jai Herbert with a brutal Knockout of the Year contender at a UFC Fight Night London event back in March of last year in a lightweight division debut.