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Francis Ngannou urged to hurry boxing career: ‘Quit fcking around and go for the fcking payday’

Former undisputed UFC heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou has been urged to hurry up with his expected transition to professional boxing later this year by veteran welterweight contender, Matt Brown, as fans continue to grow impatient with the Batié native. Ngannou, a former undisputed UFC heavyweight titleholder, has been sidelined since January of last year, most […]

Ngannou, a former undisputed UFC heavyweight titleholder, has been sidelined since January of last year, most recently headlined UFC 270, successfully unifying the promotion’s divisional titles with a unanimous decision win over then-interim gold holder, Ciryl Gane.

In January of this year, Francis Ngannou departed the organization following the completion of his UFC contract in December of last year, resulting in his removal from the official heavyweight rankings, and stripping as official division champion.

Penning a deal with the PFL (Professional Fighters League) recently to boot in a monumental agreement, Ngannou, who will compete on a pay-per-view format next year in a promotional debut with the Peter Murray-led promotion, is slated to make a transition to professional boxing first, however.

Francis Ngannou has been tipped to beat Deontay Wilder in potential future fight

Linked with a slew of fights against the likes of former champions, Deontay Wilder, Anthony Joshua, and current undisputed WBC heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury – Ngannou has been urged to make a quickfire move, by the above-mentioned, Brown.

“He (Francis Ngannou) needs to go for the big payday,” Matt Brown told MMA Fighting. “It sounds like he wants to be a serious professional boxer maybe, if he’s talking about doing a warmup fight to get into it. I guess that’s a different path but now you’re taking a risk. Maybe you’re not that good. You don’t know.”

“You haven’t f*cking boxed, bro,” Brown explained. “You weren’t in the Olympics. You didn’t do an amateur career. You don’t f*cking know. When you don’t know, go for the payday. Go for the f*cking payday. What are we doing here? Quit f*cking around here. Get the payday and be done with it.”

Conor McGregor cruises around the Mediterranean as UFC boss Dana White casts doubt on fighting future

Former two-weight champion, Conor McGregor has taken his family on a cruise around the Mediterranean this week – taking in the scenery around the Basin after UFC president, Dana White appeared less than committal on a date for the Dubliner’s return to the Octagon. McGregor, a former undisputed lightweight and featherweight champion under the banner […]

McGregor, a former undisputed lightweight and featherweight champion under the banner of the UFC, recently returned to television last week, as the premiere of The Ultimate Fighter 31 aired on ESPN – with the 34-year-old featuring as an opposing coach on the reality television show against former lightweight title chaser, Michael Chandler.

Sidelined from the Octagon since July 2021, Conor McGregor suffered a fractured left tibia and fibula en route to a first round doctor’s stoppage TKO loss against former interim lightweight champion, Dustin Poirier at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

And while the counter striker had outlined a return to active competition by December of this year, Conor McGregor’s expected date for a return fight with Chandler at the welterweight limit, has been cast into further uncertainty, with UFC leader, White claiming it has been difficult to “reel” the ex-champion in.

“We have a massive roster fo people that want to come in and people that are ready to fight and people that want to be Conor McGregor,” Dana White told assembled media following UFC Vegas 74. “And be at that level. It’s like for the last 20 years everybody said, ‘Oh my God, what are you guys going to do when Chuck Liddell retires? You guys are f*cked. Oh my God. GSP. Anderson Silva. This and that.’”

“First of all, Conor called me a couple of days ago and loved the first episode of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ and saying how happy he was to be a part of it,” White explained. “And I think being here and part of the environment and everything else, he felt it again and felt like he wants to get back to fight. The one thing you guys have to understand is this kid has so much money. It’s like Khabib now. These guys got sh*tloads of money and it’s hard to reel these guys in and get them to get in and fight.”

Conor McGregor parties with American musician Rick Ross during family holiday

In the wake of White’s comments, McGregor – who recently attended a Formula One Grand Prix in Monte Carlo, shared footage of him cruising around the Mediterranean with members of his family, with fans and members of the mixed martial arts community again distancing the Dubliner from a comeback to fighting. (H/T TalkSPORT)

pic.twitter.com/SVSkiIrCNv

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) June 5, 2023

Charles Oliveira laughs off Beneil Dariush’s prediction for UFC 289: ‘If he thinks he’ll dominate me, he’s wrong’

Former undisputed lightweight champion, Charles Oliveira has laughed off predictions of a dominant display from Beneil Dariush en route to a victory at UFC 289 this weekend, denying the Iranian will find it all his own way in their co-main event slot. Oliveira, the current #1 ranked lightweight contender, has been sidelined since October of […]

Oliveira, the current #1 ranked lightweight contender, has been sidelined since October of last year, most recently headlining UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi, UAE – seeing his 12-fight winning run halted against Islam Makhachev in the pair’s vacant lightweight title fight.

On the same card, Kings MMA staple, Dariush managed to secure his seventh consecutive victory – landing himself a one-sided unanimous decision success against former two-weight KSW champion, Mateusz Gamrot in the Middle East – earning this weekend’s title-eliminator against former gold holder, Oliveira.

And breaking down this weekend’s showdown with Oliveira, Dariush has predicted a one-sided success against the Brazilian – in rather dominant fashion to boot, citing a lack of “hunger” for the former.

“I think he (Charles Oliveira) didn’t start his camp when he should have,” Beneil Dariush said. “And then tried to catch up and probably overtrained, and that’s how he got injured.”

“I just think comfort is an enemy for athletes like us, and I think he’s (Charles Oliveira) gotten really comfortable. Obviously, he’s a wealthy guy now and he’s living good. I think those are things that can cause you some problems – cause you to lack desire, basically. I think that’s something that could take place in his life.”

Charles Oliveira laughs off Beneil Dariush’s prediction for their UFC 289 fight

Laughing off Dariush’s prediction of a one-sided victory this weekend, Oliveira has insisted he will be the one leaving Vancouver, British Columbia with a win in tow.

“(Beneil) Dariush is a great fighter,” Charles Oliveira said during a recent interview with Sports Illustrated. “He’s one of the best in the world. If he thinks he will dominate me, he is wrong. I will be the one leaving with my hand raised.”

Without a victory since May of last year, Oliveira managed to submit former interim gold holder, Justin Gaethje with a one-sided opening round rear-naked choke in the main event of UFC 274 in Phoenix, Arizona.

Amanda Nunes urged to embrace retirement ahead of UFC 289 headliner: ‘Stop doing all this sh*t’

Slated to headline UFC 289 this weekend in a bantamweight title fight against Irene Aldana, two-weight promotional champion, Amanda Nunes has been urged to embrace a potential impending retirement from active competition, from one-time light heavyweight title challenger, Anthony Smith. Nunes, the current undisputed featherweight and bantamweight champion, is slated to headline UFC 289 this […]

Nunes, the current undisputed featherweight and bantamweight champion, is slated to headline UFC 289 this weekend in the promotion’s return to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada – taking main event honors against Mexican replacement, Aldana in a reworked main event clash.

Yet to feature since July of last year, Bahia native, Nunes managed to reclaim the bantamweight throne with a largely one-sided unanimous decision victory over Julianna Peña in the pair’s championship rematch in Dallas, Texas.

Amanda Nunes urged to embrace a potential retirement from MMA

Revealing recently how she had weighed up the prospect of retirement following her stunning December 2021 title submission loss to Peña, Nunes has been urged to make peace with a potential retirement from the sport, by Nebraska native Smith.

“Is it weird that, at times, I look forward to Amanda Nunes’ retirement,” Anthony Smith told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. “It’s a very weird sentiment I have. Sometimes when I see her in these fight weeks, in these interviews, and she’s dragged her whole family there, and then she gets in and she fights – sometimes I almost feel bad for her.”

“Like, just go enjoy your life, and just go have fun,” Smith explained. “Like, stop doing all this sh*t. Because a lot of times, she [Amanda Nunes] doesn’t seem to always enjoy it that much.”

A decorated two-weight champion, over the course of her professional career, Nunes has landed spectacular triumphs over the likes of Valentina Shevchenko, Miesha Tate, Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg, Holly Holm, Germaine de Randamie, Felicia Spencer, Megan Anderson, and the aforenoted, Julianna Peña.

Francis Ngannou tipped to win in fight with Deontay Wilder: ‘If there’s anybody he could beat, it’s him’

UFC heavyweight Tom Aspinall backs Francis Ngannou to beat Deontay Wilder should they meet in the boxing ring. Since leaving the UFC and signing his monumental deal with PFL, Ngannou is not only set up financially, but also free to explore other fighting opportunities out with the promotion such as boxing. ‘The Predator’ has previously […]

UFC heavyweight Tom Aspinall backs Francis Ngannou to beat Deontay Wilder should they meet in the boxing ring.

Since leaving the UFC and signing his monumental deal with PFL, Ngannou is not only set up financially, but also free to explore other fighting opportunities out with the promotion such as boxing. ‘The Predator’ has previously expressed his interest in getting a big boxing fight, and has been pursuing a fight with reigning WBC champion, Tyson Fury.

Tom Aspinall backs Francis Ngannou in fight with Deontay Wilder

While a fight against one of the big name heavyweights may be hard to pin down for Francis Ngannou, it hasn’t stopped people fantasising about how he may get on. A lot of MMA fighters who have made the switch to the squared circle have come up short, but when talking with JNMediaUK, fellow big man, Aspinall liked his chances against one of the heavyweight elites.

“I would love to see him against Wilder, because it’s just two f—ing massive guys who can punch holes through walls,” Aspinall began. “It’s ridiculous. I’d love to see that. If there’s anybody he could beat, it would be Wilder,” Aspinall added. “Because Wilder is … and I don’t want to slag the guy off, because he’s one of the hardest punchers ever. But as far as actual boxing ability, his level is way lower than an Usyk or Tyson Fury or someone like that.

“The guy’s punching power is off the charts, absolutely ridiculous, out of this world, “ Aspinall continued. “But I think he’s quite hittable and his fight IQ doesn’t see to be, like, great. I think if there’s any of em who [Ngannou] could beat, it would be Wilder.” (H/T MMA Mania)

Tom Aspinall talking with JN Media UK about Francis Ngannou’s boxing chances

What do you think of Tom Aspinall’s comments?

Conor McGregor season of The Ultimate Fighter’s debuted episode averages 294,000 viewers, drop on prior feature

The Ultimate Fighter season 31, coached by Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler debuts at an average of 294,000 viewers. Last Tuesday marked the return of McGregor coaching on TUF, eight years on from his first season (22) when he was pitted against Urijah Faber. Recent viewing figures revealed that it averaged close to 300,000 viewers […]

The Ultimate Fighter season 31, coached by Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler debuts at an average of 294,000 viewers.

Last Tuesday marked the return of McGregor coaching on TUF, eight years on from his first season (22) when he was pitted against Urijah Faber. Recent viewing figures revealed that it averaged close to 300,000 viewers and was the 11^th most popular show that day. According to the Nielsen rating system, the episode received .14 market shared in the 18–49-year-old demographic.

These figures are down considerably from McGregor’s first appearance on the show, the debuting episode of season 22 reached an average viewership of 622,000. However, the viewership numbers are still up considerably from the last available figures for a season of TUF, which was season 28. Robert Whittaker coached opposite Kelvin Gastelum and their debuting episode averaged 186,000.

The next episode of the series is set to air later tonight and will pick up following Roosevelt Roberts eight-second knockout of Nate Jennerman. This series difference from previous as it has not just rising prospects, but also features former UFC fighters such as Roberts, who are looking for a way back to the promotion.

Conor McGregor’s return to fighting

When news broke that McGregor would be coaching on TUF, it seemed that we would definitely get a fight along with it at some point this year. However, even with the first episode having aired, McGregor has not even re-entered back into the USADA testing pool, which he would have to do to be eligible to fight in the UFC.

Even with both UFC President Dana White and McGregor himself having been insistent on an announcement coming soon, nothing seems imminent and ‘The Notorious’ does not appear to be in training camp.

Are you enjoying Conor McGregor’s new season of The Ultimate Fighter?