Islam Makhachev | UFC Betting Sites - The Best MMA Online Bookies

Daniel Cormier Believes Only Two Current UFC Champs Can Sell Pay-Per-Views: ‘Void Of That Big Star?’

A lot has changed in the last couple of years for the UFC. The roster features many new exciting talents, but dominant champs like Israel Adesanya, Alexander Volkanovski, and Kamaru Usman also lost their belts. In its different eras, the UFC has benefited heavily from megastars like Chuck Liddell, Conor McGregor, and Ronda Rousey. However, […]

Continue Reading Daniel Cormier Believes Only Two Current UFC Champs Can Sell Pay-Per-Views: ‘Void Of That Big Star?’ at MMA News.

In its different eras, the UFC has benefited heavily from megastars like Chuck Liddell, Conor McGregor, and Ronda Rousey. However, it looks like the company now wants its brand to reign supreme. If people trust the UFC to be the premier MMA organization in the world, they won’t evaluate the quality of the card based on the stars it has.

Having said that, popular fighters are still a boon, if not a necessity, for the UFC. According to Daniel Cormier, the promotion currently lacks champions that can sell pay-per-views like their predecessors…

Daniel Cormier Explains Why Islam Makhachev, Belal Muhammad, Ilia Topuria, Merab Dvalishvili, And Other UFC Champs Aren’t Stars Yet

On the latest episode of Good Guy / Bad Guy on the ESPN MMA YouTube channel, Cormier and Sonnen discussed the current UFC champs. According to the former UFC heavyweight kingpin, only Jon Jones and Alex Pereira are proven draws for the UFC.

“Is there a void of that big star? Because right now, it feels like only Jon Jones and Pereira, Pereira and Jon Jones might be the only two Champions right now that are completely moving the needle.”

All the other champs in the promotion have either just reached the top or don’t have the most exciting fighting style and mic skills. The iconic duo also talked about how MMA has evolved drastically in recent years, making it unlikely for new champions to beat title defense records set by Jones, Georges St-Pierre, Anderson Silva, Demetrious Johnson, and other greats.

“Jon Jones right now is a proven draw. He will sell pay-per-views. Alex Pereira, under right circumstances, will sell pay-per-views. But then when I list these other names to you, Chael, Zhang Weili, the 25 pound champion is the Brazilian, Pantoja, Merab Dvalishvili, Ilia Topuria, Islam Makhachev, Belal Muhammad. Let’s keep going.”

DC backed his claims by mentioning the not-so-great numbers generated by Makhachev vs. Poirier at UFC 302. He also revealed that Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya did decent, but the number was much lower than what “The Last Stylebender” was bringing in at his peak.

“The problem is the game has gotten so hard now. Anderson had what? 11 title defenses. Jones had like 13. Who’s doing that anymore?”

“Poatan” is 37 and “Bones” might consider retirement after fighting Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. Cormier believes that the UFC has yet to find proper replacements for its biggest stars at the moment which could be detrimental.

READ MORE: Jon Anik Outlines ‘Silver Lining’ For The UFC After Sean O’Malley’s Title Loss

Continue Reading Daniel Cormier Believes Only Two Current UFC Champs Can Sell Pay-Per-Views: ‘Void Of That Big Star?’ at MMA News.

‘If Sean O’Malley Had Won…’ – Jon Anik’s Unique Argument To Defend Jon Jones In Pound-For-Pound Rankings

Jon Jones last fought in the UFC in March 2023, when he submitted Ciryl Gane to win the promotion’s heavyweight title. Stipe Miocic was supposed to be his first title defense but a shoulder injury compelled the champion to take time off from training. While Jones has been inactive, Islam Makhachev has defended his UFC […]

Continue Reading ‘If Sean O’Malley Had Won…’ – Jon Anik’s Unique Argument To Defend Jon Jones In Pound-For-Pound Rankings at MMA News.

While Jones has been inactive, Islam Makhachev has defended his UFC lightweight title twice and sits comfortably at the top of the company’s pound-for-pound rankings. The community is divided on the matter though, especially after Dana White bluntly dismissed the rankings and called Jones the undisputed pound-for-pound best fighter.

Although Jon Anik believes Makhachev to be the P4P best, he might not be in favor of Jones being excluded from the rankings because of inactivity…

Jon Anik Imagines How Sean O’Malley’s Pound-For-Pound Rank Would’ve Changed Due To Injury Like Jon Jones

Anik recently appeared on the official MMAFightingonSBN YouTube channel to discuss all things UFC. When asked for his two cents on the endless P4P debate, the UFC commentator made a clear distinction between Jones being the greatest fighter of all time and Makhachev being the best skill-to-skill fighter in the world right now.

“jon Jones is the greatest mixed martial arts athlete for me. Pound-for-pound in the world, today, I think it’s pretty consensus that Islam Makhachev is the guy. But yeah, when Jonny Jones is in an active competition cycle and given body of work, yeah, he’s the guy. But right now, Islam for me, is you know, skill-for-skill, and given activity, number one.”

Anik was then informed about MMA Fighting’s criteria for removing fighters who haven’t competed in over 18 months from the P4P list. As a result, Jones is not even in their top 20 men’s pound-for-pound fighters, let alone fighting for the top spots.

This is when one of UFC’s most familiar play-by-play voices brought up Sean O’Malley, who’ll be out of action because of requiring hip surgery. While not targeting MMA Fighting specifically, he suggested that it would’ve been interesting how MMA media would’ve handled O’Malley’s pound-for-pound rank had he beaten Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306 and then taken a year or more to recover from the hip injury as the active champ.

Anik also pointed out that the UFC bantamweight division is stacked with talented contenders, which would’ve made O’Malley’s case even more intriguing.

“It really would’ve been interesting if Sean O’Malley had won and had to get his hip prepared, you know. And you don’t see him for a year, you know, because there’s so many 35ers but there’s a new world order and it’s Merab Dvalishvili. You know, and, exciting times buddy.”

READ MORE: Merab Dvalishvili Explains Why He Questioned Islam Makhachev, Umar Nurmagomedov & Other Fighters Representing Russia

Continue Reading ‘If Sean O’Malley Had Won…’ – Jon Anik’s Unique Argument To Defend Jon Jones In Pound-For-Pound Rankings at MMA News.

Merab Dvalishvili Explains Why He Questioned Islam Makhachev, Umar Nurmagomedov & Other Fighters Representing Russia

Merab Dvalishvili has won tons of fans with his unhinged social media personality. Ahead of his fight with Sean O’Malley, “The Machine” released several skits mocking the champ and they’ve aged like fine wine now that he’s champion. Similarly, Dvalishvili has repeatedly spoken his mind on Umar Nurmagomedov getting a title shot after just one […]

Continue Reading Merab Dvalishvili Explains Why He Questioned Islam Makhachev, Umar Nurmagomedov & Other Fighters Representing Russia at MMA News.

Similarly, Dvalishvili has repeatedly spoken his mind on Umar Nurmagomedov getting a title shot after just one win over a ranked UFC bantamweight. His rivalry with the undefeated prospect has taken a new turn since he questioned the latter representing Russia.

Dvalishvili recently explained the history of Georgia in detail and why he’s not a big fan of many fighters representing Russia.

Merab Dvalishvili Reveals Why He Doesn’t Consider Umar Nurmagomedov, Khabib, Islam Makhachev, And Other ‘Caucasian’ Fighters Russian

In a recent episode of the Fight Back podcast hosted by Jake Shields on YouTube, Dvalishvili discussed the history of Georgia. He told Shields about Russia still occupying 20% of Georgia and looked back at the terrors of the 2008 Russo-Georgian war.

Dvalishvili didn’t hide his understandable animosity toward the Russian government as he witnessed several war crimes as a teenager. However, he admitted to not having the same feelings for Russian citizens who’ve always appreciated Georgia’s hospitality as well.

The UFC bantamweight kingpin then reiterated that the following UFC fighters represent Russia but they technically belong to different independent nations:

Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and Umar Nurmagomedov come from Dagestan.
Khamzat Chimaev belongs to Chechen Republic of Ichkeria.
Movsar Evloev hails from Ingushetia.

“They are all on, I mean, it’s not independent country but all different countries. They are Muslim people, they have own culture, own tradition. That people, we call them Caucasian people, like because we have Caucas mountains. So, we are this side, they are other side. And then, but now, so like, I’m not going to say occupied but yeah somehow the Russia take over those countries and they have to ‘represent’ Russia. So, and I say, when somebody asked me Umar is from Russia, that’s why you don’t…I said, no, Umar not from Russia. He’s from Dagestan.”

Dvalishvili made sure to point out that he understands the aforementioned fighters choosing to represent Russia for political, personal, or any other reasons. It’ll be interesting to see whether these remarks will add to the intensity of his rivalry with Nurmagomedov, though.

Read More: Charles Oliveira Open To Conor McGregor Fight Should He Beat Michael Chandler On One Condition

Continue Reading Merab Dvalishvili Explains Why He Questioned Islam Makhachev, Umar Nurmagomedov & Other Fighters Representing Russia at MMA News.

B/R MMA Power Rankings After UFC 306

Saturday’s UFC 306 card at Sphere in Las Vegas wasn’t just the most lavishly produced event the promotion has ever put on, it also changed the MMA landscape,…

Dana White Reveals If Interim Lightweight Title Fight For Arman Tsarukyan Is Possible With Islam Makhachev Injured

Dana White has shut down Arman Tsarukyan’s calls for an interim UFC lightweight title to be created while champion Islam Makhachev recovers from a hand injury. Makhachev and Tsarukyan were originally expected to run it back for the former’s…

Continue Reading Dana White Reveals If Interim Lightweight Title Fight For Arman Tsarukyan Is Possible With Islam Makhachev Injured at MMA News.

Arman Tsarukyan reveals talks to take on Islam Makhachev in December title fight at UFC 310

Surging number one ranked lightweight contender, Arman Tsarukyan has claimed that talks have been held regarding a potential end-of-year…

Surging number one ranked lightweight contender, Arman Tsarukyan has claimed that talks have been held regarding a potential end-of-year rematch with undisputed champion, Islam Makhachev — with the two failing to land on an October UFC 308 card to battle once more.

Tsarukyan, the current number one ranked divisional contender, most recently featured on the main card of UFC 300 back in April, landing a controversial split decision win over former undisputed champion, Charles Oliveira over the course of three rounds.

Earning himself a title rematch with Makhachev off the back of his win, Armenian contender, Tsarukyan saw a targeted rematch with the former ruled from a UFC 308 card in Abu Dhabi, UAE later this annum — with the Russian dealing with an unspecified arm injury.

Arman Tsarukyan reveals potential December rematch with Islam Makhachev

However, according to Tsarukyan — who has been linked with an interim title fight against the above-mentioned, Oliveira as well as former champion, Dustin Poirier if Makhachev remained sidelined, a potential rematch with the undisputed champion has been floated for December.

“The fight [with Islam Makhachev] had to happen in October,” Arman Tsarukyan told Ushatayka’s Islam Babadzhanov, during a recent interview. “But it was rescheduled, now we have talks about December.”

“It depends on when he can return,” Arman Tsarukyan said of the chances he would take an interim lightweight title fight next. “If he can’t compete by Spring, I think they [the UFC] will make a fight for an interim title.

Sidelined since he took main event honors at UFC 302 back in May in Newark, New Jersey, pound-for-pound number one, Makhachev most recently took on Tsarukyan’s American Top Team stablemate, Dustin Poirier.

Successfully defending his undisputed title for the third time since February of last year, Makhachev turned in a fifth round D’Arce choke submission win over the Louisiana veteran in the pair’s main event title showdown.