Tag: Max Holloway

Report – Noche UFC card leaked during broadcast, Topuria – Holloway, O’Malley – Dvalishvili title fights confirmed

Noche UFC card leaked with Topuria vs. Holloway and O'Malley vs. Dvalishvili title fights setAhead of September’s Noche UFC card at the Las Vegas Sphere, fans appear to have had two significant fights…

Noche UFC card leaked with Topuria vs. Holloway and O'Malley vs. Dvalishvili title fights set

Ahead of September’s Noche UFC card at the Las Vegas Sphere, fans appear to have had two significant fights on the card leaked overnight during the promotion’s broadcast for their return to Denver, Colorado.

Slated to take over the Las Vegas Sphere in September for a Riyadh Season sponsored, Noche UFC card, promotional CEO, Dana White has claimed the event which comes as the organization’s second iteration of the card, would once again tribute to combat sports culture in Mexico.

Sean O'Malley reveals timeline for title fight with Merab Dvalishvili I'm hoping for The Sphere still
Mandatory Credit: Zuffa LLC

Noche UFC sees Topuria vs. Holloway, O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili leaked

And while the likes of undisputed flyweight champion, Alexa Grasso and former champion, Valentina Shevchenko – who serve as coaches on The Ultimate Fighter 32 have been linked with another showdown in ‘Sin City’, last night’s French-Canadian broadcast for UFC Denver confirmed two title fights for the event.

89347698813

In an apparent leaking of information, the broadcast revealed undisputed featherweight champion, Ilia Topuria would feature against former champion, Max Holloway in a title grudge fight at Noche UFC – before also revealing bantamweight kingpin, Sean O’Malley – fresh from his ESPY victory, would be taking on Merab Dvalishvili. 

Sharing a distinct rivalry since their respective title fight victories this annum, Topuria and Holloway will lock horns at Noche UFC according to the promotion’s broadcast, at least – with the two battling it out on social media over the course of this month in a bid to land a date for their featherweight title affair.

holloway bmf

As for O’Malley, the Montana native is expected to face the sternest challenge to his undisputed bantamweight crown to date following his April win over Marlon Vera – preparing to take on streaking Georgian ace, Dvalishvili. 

The addition of that championship fight doubleheader would also put the brakes on a linked comeback for Conor McGregor on the same card in a welterweight reworked fight with Michael Chandler – who overnight then confirmed he would most definitely fight the MIssouri veteran before the close of 2024. 

What are your thoughts on the apparent leaking of the Noche UFC card?

Ranking the Best Opponents for Nate Diaz’s Return-to-UFC Fight

Nate Diaz is plotting a UFC return. The 39-year-old from Stockton, California spent the vast majority of his combat sports career with the Las Vegas-based MMA…

Nate Diaz is plotting a UFC return. The 39-year-old from Stockton, California spent the vast majority of his combat sports career with the Las Vegas-based MMA…

Ilia Topuria promises to knock out Max Holloway in grudge fight: ‘It brings me joy to disconnect you’

Ilia Topuria vows to knock out Max Holloway it brings me joy to disconnect youUFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria is confident he will be the first person to knock out Max Holloway should…

Ilia Topuria vows to knock out Max Holloway it brings me joy to disconnect you

UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria is confident he will be the first person to knock out Max Holloway should they fight next time out.

Holloway is the No. 1 contender at featherweight and all signs point to that fight happening next time out. But, the bout is still not booked which caused Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway to take shots at one another on social media.

gettyimages 2042539295 612x612 1

After Topuria claimed Holloway wasn’t going to fight him, which the Hawaiian said isn’t sure, the featherweight champ sent a warning to ‘Blessed’ ahead of the potential fight.

“God bless you brother. Nothing against you! But it brings me great joy to be the first to disconnect you.. it seems so fun,” Topuria wrote on social media.

Holloway has proven to have a durable chin as he has never been knocked out or dropped. But, Topuria is confident his power is different and is confident he won’t just beat Holloway but will KO him.

Ilia Topuria denies truning down rematch with Alexander Volkanovski in Australia the UFC never offered it
Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez – USA TODAY Sports

After Topuria’s comment, Holloway took to social media to respond to Topuria and vows to KO him.

“God bless brother. Same here my man. You should disconnect from social media. I know it seems fun but it’s really not it,” Holloway responded.

Currently, Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway is not booked but it is one of the biggest fights to make and the hope is it will come to fruition this year.

Ilia Topuria Claims Max Holloway Is Holding Up Title Fight

Ilia Topuria hasn’t fought since February when he knocked out Alexander Volkanovski in the main event of UFC 298 to become the new champion.

Max BMF

However, he still does not have his next fight booked and at a recent Q&A in Spain, Topuria claimed Holloway is the reason why the fight hasn’t happened.

“You need to ask that question to Max Holloway because I’ve been getting ready all summer, and just ready to get the date,” Topuria said in a moderated Q&A with Marca (via MMAJunkie). “It’s him who is making all the excuses.

“First, it was family problems, then that he couldn’t make the weight, now that he doesn’t want to fight. There are many names out there that to the public they’re saying they want to fight, but I invite them to follow up on their words. This is what I do, this is my job. I’m ready whenever they call me,” Topuria added.

Ilia Touria is a perfect 15-0 as a pro and is 7-0 in the UFC.

Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway blame each other for stalled out UFC title fight: ‘Guy is just making things up’

Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway blame each other for stalled out UFC title fight: 'Guy is just making things up'Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway are playing the blame game as their heavily rumored featherweight title class continues to…

Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway blame each other for stalled out UFC title fight: 'Guy is just making things up'

Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway are playing the blame game as their heavily rumored featherweight title class continues to lose traction.

‘El Matador’ scored a stellar second-round knockout against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 to take home the 145-pound crown. Five months later, we’re still no closer to his first title defense after talks seemingly stalled out between Topuria and the man everyone expects to be his first challenger, Max Holloway.

During a recent Q&A session with Marca, Topuria was asked about the status of his scrap with ‘Blessed,’ to which the champ responded by placing all the blame on the BMF titleholder.

“It’s not because of me,” Topuria said. “They called me to say that Max Holloway was having family issues, that he was having trouble cutting weight, and that he wanted to fight in a higher weight class. Honestly, I don’t know. I have no idea.”

It didn’t take long for Holloway to get wind of Topuria’s comments. Snapping back on social media, ‘Blessed’ accused Topuria of “making things up.”

Ilia Topuria

“Guy is just making things up at this stage,” Holloway wrote. “I been ready.”

Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway go back and forth on social media

That comment kicked off a full-on back-and-forth between the two featherweight stars with Topuria telling Holloway to pick a date and give Uncle Dana a call.

Ilia Topuria

“Choose a date, choose the way you want me to beat you, and write it here. I am ready to turn off your lights whenever and wherever. Call Dana,” Topuria responded.

Ilia Topuria

“Been talking to them brother,” Holloway fired back. “You need to check your numbers. Since you said it the Sphere by toe hold. See you soon.”

Ilia Topuria

“God bless you brother,” Topuria added. “Nothing against you! But it brings me great joy to be the first to disconnect you. It seems so fun.”

Topura is a perfect 15-0 in his mixed martial arts career, including seven straight wins inside the Octagon.

Meanwhile, Max Holloway has solidified himself as one of the greatest strikers in UFC history, going toe-to-toe with some of the biggest names in the game, including Conor McGregor, Clay Collard, Charles Oliveira, Jose Aldo, Frankie Edgar, Brian Ortega, Dustin Poirier, Alexander Volkanovski, and The Korean Zombie.

His most recent highlight came in April when he scored an insane buzzer-beating knockout against Justin Gaethje to claim the BMF belt. That win solidified Holloway’s spot at the front of the featherweight line, but when and where he gets the chance to cash in remains to be seen.

Max Holloway pleads with Ilia Topuria to stop delaying fight for UFC title: ‘I been ready’

Max Holloway pleads with Ilia Topuria to stop delaying fight for UFC title I been readyDespite continued links to a UFC 307 clash in Utah later this year, former featherweight champion, Max Holloway has…

Max Holloway pleads with Ilia Topuria to stop delaying fight for UFC title I been ready

Despite continued links to a UFC 307 clash in Utah later this year, former featherweight champion, Max Holloway has urged current featherweight champion, Ilia Topuria to stop delaying their clash – with the Spaniard instead hoping to fight in Abu Dhabi in November.

Holloway, a former undisputed featherweight titleholder and the current symbolic BMF gold holder, has been continually linked with a title showdown in a 145lbs return against unbeaten Spaniard, Topuria later this year, with the promotion set for their annual trip to Salt Lake City for a UFC 307 pay-per-view card.

Ilia Topuria eyes biggest fight in history against Conor McGregor in UFC Spain debut
Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez – USA TODAY Sports

Beginning training camp for his return to action later this year, according to his physical therapist, Topuria has been sidelined since he landed the undisputed title with a stunning knockout win over common-opponent, Alexander Volkanovski back in February at UFC 299.

holloway ufc 300

And taking part in an almost-global media tour since assuming the featherweight throne, Topuria had been linked with a UFC 307 title fight with Holloway at the Delta Center, however, has stressed his desire to fight a month later at UFC 308.

Max Holloway urges Ilia Topuria to fight him next

Reacting to Topuria’s plan to further delay their expected showdown for championship spoils, Holloway insists he’s ready to fight again, urging the incumbent gold holder to follow suit.

holloway

“Guy is just making things up at this stage,” Max Holloway posted on Twitter in response to Ilia Topuria’s comments. “I been ready.”

Sidelined himself since UFC 300 earlier this annum, Hawaiian star, Holloway snatched the symbolic BMF championship with a buzzer-beating, highlight-reel knockout win over former interim lightweight titleholder, Justin Gaethje on the monumental card. 

Furthermore, earlier this week, Holloway received the unlikely backing of lightweight contender, Paddy Pimblett – who claimed Topuria was doing everything in his power to avoid a title fight with him – reigniting their historic rivalry.

Who wins in a future title showdown: Ilia Topuria or Max Holloway?

Paddy Pimblett accuses ‘hand sanitizer boy’ Ilia Topuria of being ‘scared’ to fight Max Holloway

Paddy Pimblett accuses 'Hand sanitizer Boy' Ilia Topuria of being 'Scared' to fight Max HollowayPaddy Pimblett thinks Ilia Topuria is afraid to fight Max Holloway. Topuria claimed the featherweight world title in February,…

Paddy Pimblett accuses 'Hand sanitizer Boy' Ilia Topuria of being 'Scared' to fight Max Holloway

Paddy Pimblett thinks Ilia Topuria is afraid to fight Max Holloway.

Topuria claimed the featherweight world title in February, securing a second-round knockout of Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298. Since then, ‘El Matador’ has yet to defend his title, though his first challenger is all but guaranteed to be the promotion’s reigning BMF titleholder.

Despite some fiery back-and-forths between the two in interviews and on social media, there’s been little news when it comes to actually booking a championship clash between the two 145-pound superstars.

While reacting to this past weekend’s UFC 303 card in Las Vegas and answering some fan inquiries on his YouTube channel, Pimblett offered his take on the inevitable showdown between Topuria and Holloway, suggesting that “hand sanitizer boy” is scared to sign on the dotted line for a fight with one of the UFC’s most dangerous strikers.

“I think I’ve got the same as everyone,” Pimblett said. “Everyone’s picking Max, know what I mean? Hand sanitizer boy’s scared to take the fight. He doesn’t want to take the fight against Max because he knows what will happen. He fought Volkanovski at the perfect time. Coming back off getting knocked out like 10 weeks later. He got lucky there, to be honest.”

Max Holloway was, by all accounts, always going to be the first man up to challenge the Georgian for the featherweight strap. ‘Blessed’ only solidified his spot at the front of the line with an insane buzzer-beating KO of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 to bag the promotion’s bragging rights belt.

Max Holloway

Pimblett and Topuria are certainly no strangers to one another. In March 2022, the two got into a scuffle at a London hotel after ‘The Baddy’ made some disparaging comments about the Russo-Georgian War. During the altercation, Pimblett infamously pelted Topuria with a bottle of hand sanitizer.

Paddy Pimblett gearing up for his next big challenge inside the Octagon

While Topuria and Holloway work out the details of when and where they’ll throw hands, Paddy Pimblett is already preparing for his next challenge. Returning to the Octagon on July 27 when the UFC heads back to Manchester, ‘The Baddy’ will face perhaps his toughest test yet when he meets the always dangerous ‘King’ Bobby Green at UFC 304.

Paddy Pimblett vs. Bobby Green

Pimblett is a perfect 5-0 under the UFC banner, though his last two performances against Jared Gordon and Tony Ferguson left a lot to be desired from the Liverpudlian.

Green, on the other hand, has found himself amid a nice little run, winning three of his last four, including a unanimous decision victory over Octagon icon Jim Miller at the UFC’s landmark event in April.

Bobby Green