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Conor McGregor again backed to fight for 165lbs title against Michael Chandler at UFC 303: ‘It draws attention’

Receiving official confirmation of his clamoured for UFC 303 at the end June, former two-weight champion, Conor McGregor has…

Receiving official confirmation of his clamoured for UFC 303 at the end June, former two-weight champion, Conor McGregor has again been backed to fight for an inaugural super lightweight crown at the 165lbs limit – in his slated bout with Michael Chandler.

Dana White claims Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler won't happen until the Fall in UFC

McGregor, a former undisputed lightweight and featherweight champion under the banner of the promotion, has been sidelined since 2021, yet to return since fracturing his left tibia and fibula in an opening round doctor’s stoppage TKO defeat to common-foe, Dustin Poirier.

And as for Chandler, it’s been almost two years away from action for the Kill Cliff FC staple, who himself has yet to return since he was submitted by the above-mentioned, Poirier in their grudge fight at Madison Square Garden in late 2022.

Conor McGregor backed to compete for 165lbs crown at UFC 303

Finally set to fight the Missouri veteran at UFC 303 in at the end of June atop an International Fight Week card, McGregor – who was selected as an ideal candidate to compete for a would-be inaugural 165lbs crown, has been further backed by former two-division titleholder, Daniel Cormier.

Conor McGregor confirms summer UFC fight against Michael Chandler is set we got confirmation — Mandatory Credit: Dia Dipasupil

“I believe that if they’re [the UFC] going to do a 165lbs division, it should have a name attached to the weight class that is so big that it draws people’s attention,” Daniel Cormier said during an appearance on Good Guy / Bad Guy. “Conor McGregor being that name. Michael Chandler, on the other hand, will benefit from being in the right place at the riht time, where these guys would then fight for the super lightweight championship of the world, because that’s what I believe it is.”

And while Lafayette veteran, Cormier calls for the induction of a super lightweight division, McGregor bout with Chandler has already been nailed down at the welterweight limit of 170lbs, as per an official announcement from promotional CEO, Dana White.

Would you like to see Conor McGregor compete for the first-ever super lightweight title?

Alex Pereira weighs up Manchester clash with Tom Aspinall at UFC 304: ‘I’m there to fight’

Sidelined in the aftermath of his devastating first round at UFC 300 earlier this month, light heavyweight champion, Alex…

Sidelined in the aftermath of his devastating first round at UFC 300 earlier this month, light heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira insists his fighting future is not directly in his hands off the back of the event, however, has not shied away from a potential July comeback to fight Tom Aspinall for interim heavyweight gold at UFC 304.

Pereira, a former undisputed middleweight champion and the light heavyweight division’s current pacesetter, headlined UFC 300 last weekend against former champion, Jamahal Hill, comfortably dispatching the Illinois native with a blistering first round KO win.

Alex Pereira tipped for success at heavyweight everybody is in trouble against him UFC — Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas – USA TODAY Sports

And in the immediate aftermath of his victory, Sao Paulo favorite, Pereira echoed calls for a potential UFC 301 comeback in just less than three weeks time in his native Brazil – in a potential heavyweight divisional debut.

However, revealing a second fractured toe suffered in the first round of his bout with Hill – Pereira, who had fractured another toe even prior to his UFC 300 appearance, was ultimately ruled from a Rio de Janeiro return.

Alex Pereira weighs up UFC 304 outing

Rejecting an offer to meet with Russian contender, Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 308 in October, citing his preference for a quickfire return after emerging unscathed from his fight with Hill, Pereira explored the option of a July fight with British heavyweight star, Aspinall.

Alex Pereira would rather fight sooner than October, after receiving a call out from surging contender, Magomed Ankalaev for #UFC308.https://t.co/oJ3rG4ZWjy

— LowKickMMA.com (@LowKick_MMA) April 23, 2024

“I have to see what’s best for me, but I’m not alone,” Alex Pereira told MMA Fighting regarding a potential fight with Tom Aspinall in June. “I have my managers with me. I’m here, I’m like a gamecock – you put another rooster in front of me and I’m there to fight, and we will fight, you know?”

gettyimages 2148569356 612x612 1 1 — Mandatory Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

“But we have to see what’s best for me, my career, and my team,” Alex Pereira explained. “I’m open to fighting whoever, but I’m not the one who decides.”

Himself confirming the promotion’s return to the United Kingdom at the end of July for a Manchester pay-per-view event, Atherton native, Aspinall also revealed he would be fighting at UFC 304 in a homecoming, and was just waiting for his opponent to ink terms on a clash.

Who wins in a future title clash: Tom Aspinall or Alex Pereira?

Sean O’Malley confident fight with Ryan Garcia will be set after two more UFC outings: ‘I’m not there yet’

Sean O’Malley is confident he will have a massive boxing match like Conor McGregor did and says it will…

Sean O’Malley is confident he will have a massive boxing match like Conor McGregor did and says it will be against Ryan Garcia.

O’Malley and Garcia have both expressed interest in the potential matchup, and the intrigue only increased after Garcia pulled off an upset win over Devin Haney over the weekend.

Ryan Garcia knocks down Devin Haney three times, scores majority decision win - Haney vs. Garcia Highlights

“They told me you can do a boxing fight, 100 percent, if it makes us enough money,” Sean O’Malley said on his TimboSugarShow podcast. “So the option’s there, it just has to be able to make enough money. But Ryan being a f****** freak like that, you need two A-sides to make a f****** Floyd-Conor fight.”

Although Sean O’Malley wants the fight to happen, he says he still needs two more fights and win to get it and make it that much bigger.

“I’m not there yet,” O’Malley said. “I’ve still got to become bigger. Two more f****** sick performances and then we’re talking about being able to do whatever the f*** we want.”

Sean O’Malley Wonders Where Ryan Garcia Will Be Mentally After This Win

In the lead-up to Ryan Garcia’s boxing match against Devin Haney, many fans were worried about his mental state.

Sean OMalley UFC 299 2 — Mandatory Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

However, after Garcia won, he says he was doing that on purpose to make people think he wasn’t as good as he was. But, O’Malley admits there is some concern about Garcia after the big win, and how he may handle himself.

Sean O'Malley unsure of UFC 299 PPV sale numbers Everyone I know illegally streams it — Mandatory Credit: Chris Unger – Zuffa LLC

“I think he’s that crazy, he’s that good too,” O’Malley said. “He probably trained hard. Some people have different genes. I couldn’t do it. … He’s going to make his money. Let’s see where he goes in the next two weeks. Winning that big of a fight, making that much more money, having those s***** people around you, let’s see where he’s at mentally in two weeks.”

For now, O’Malley is just focused on his MMA career, but he knows he will face Garcia in boxing before their careers are up.

Michael Chandler admits career ‘Death sentence’ worry ahead of UFC 303 fight with Conor McGregor

Michael Chandler says his layoff is a concern as it could be a career death sentence for him. Chandler…

Michael Chandler says his layoff is a concern as it could be a career death sentence for him.

Chandler will finally end his layoff in the main event of UFC 303 on June 29 in Las Vegas, Nevada against Conor McGregor. It’s a highly-anticipated fight and one that has been talked about for over a year, as he last competed in November of 2022.

Michael Chandler confirms he's entered camp for fight with Conor McGregor at UFC 302 — Mandatory Credit: Zuffa LLC

Chandler and McGregor coached TUF against one another last year and the hope was the fight would happen then. But, it didn’t come to fruition, and Chandler continued to wait for the scrap, which he admits could hurt him.

Michael Chandler admits hiatus brings worry into UFC 303 return

“I went 688 days without winning a fight, almost two full years without winning a fight. For a mixed martial artist, this could be a career death sentence. That’s when the doubt from everybody plus yourself continues to compound on itself,” Michael Chandler said on The Shawn Ryan Show (via GiveMeSport).

Ring rust has been a factor for several fighters, but Chandler is doing everything he can to make sure it doesn’t happen.

Michael Chander hired a sports psychologist ahead of His return

During the time off, Michael Chandler has revealed he hired a sports psychologist to try and help him out mentally ahead of his return.

Michael Chandler confirms Conor McGregor fight is set for this summer I got the official announcement — Mandatory Credit: Mike Kirschbaum

Chandler believes the mental game is as important as the physical part, so he’s confident it will help him put together a great performance against McGregor.

“I hired a sports psychologist. I really started realizing I can do all the reps and all the sets and all the push-ups and all the lifts and all the sparring and all the sessions. I can do all the physical stuff, but if I’m not building up the mind, I’m really just making a bigger, faster, stronger more dangerous subpar version of the man that I’m supposed to be if I don’t start doing the work inside my mind,” Chandler added.

Chandler enters his UFC 303 main event fight as a -108 pick’em against Conor McGregor who is -112.

Alex Pereira rejects Magomed Ankalaev’s call for title clash at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi: ‘I want to fight sooner’

Receiving a call out for an October showdown in the Middle East by surging light heavyweight contender, Magomed Ankalaev,…

Receiving a call out for an October showdown in the Middle East by surging light heavyweight contender, Magomed Ankalaev, division champion, Alex Pereria appears less than interested in remaining sidelined until UFC 308 – favoring a quicker return to action.

Pereira, the current undisputed light heavyweight champion, headlined UFC 300 last weekend, successfully defending his division crown for the first time in a one-sided opening round knockout win over former champion, Jamahal Hill.

And as for Ankalaev, the Russian finisher returned at the UFC Apex facility back in January, rematching Pereira’s compatriot, Johnny Walker, where he scored a second round knockout win of his own.

Reacting to Pereira’s devastating first round stoppage against Hill earlier this month, Ankalaev vowed to turn his own knockout win against the Sao Paulo finisher, offering him a clash at FUC 308 in October.

Alex Pereira opts out of UFC 308 return

However, as far as Pereira is concerned, if Ankalaev cannot offer him a return sooner than October, he’ll likely skirt the bout in favor of a quicker comeback fight.

Manager reveals why Alex Pereira won't fight at UFC 301 He has to let the dust settle — Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas – USA TODAY Sports

“I don’t want to fight at the end of the year,” Alex Pereira told MMA Fighting. “I want to fight sooner, so maybe that shows he (Magomed Ankalaev) won’t be ready. I don’t know why he said that.”

Tom Aspinall? Magomed Ankalaev? Alex Pereira discusses options for next move after UFC 300https://t.co/QsBdUhjKbM

— Guilherme Cruz (@guicruzzz) April 22, 2024

“This guy is complicated,” Alex Pereira explained. “Honestly, I have to see what’s best. I’m here to fight, but I don’t understand best about other things like where is best [to fight] and where isn’t. If I have to fight there, I will, but if it’s not a date I want, then it’s not best for me. I can say no.”

gettyimages 1931203775 612x612 1 — Mandatory Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Winning light heavyweight gold last November, Pereira dispatched fellow UFC 300 feature, Jiri Prochazka in the pair’s vacant title clash at Madison Square Garden.

Would you like to see Alex Pereira fight Magomed Ankalaev next?

Video – Iranian MMA fighter kicks ring card girl before being TKO’d and beaten up by the crowd

An Iranian MMA fighter got his ass kicked not once but twice while competing at an event in Moscow….

An Iranian MMA fighter got his ass kicked not once but twice while competing at an event in Moscow.

Making his promotional debut at Hardcore MMA 90 on April 19, Ali Heibati immediately rubbed fight fans the wrong way when he kicked a ring card girl in her rear end as she was making her walk around the cage. She then turned back and appeared to share a few words with Heibati before the referee stepped in between them and presumably issued a warning to the fighter.

It didn’t take long for Heibati to get his comeuppance as his opponent, Arkadiy Osipyan, handily defeated him with a series of ground-and-pound strikes in the final minute of the opening round.

With the fight called off, Heibati climbed back to his feet and tried to restart the scrap, taking multiple cheap shots at Osipyan while his back was turned.

Iranian MMA fighter cheap shots opponent

Despite the multiple displays of poor sportsmanship, Heibati was inexplicably allowed to stay in the cage for a post-fight interview where he attempted to head-kick a commentator.

By the time he exited the cage, fans were ready to pounce.

As he began making his way to the backstage area, a surge of fans bum-rushed Heibiti, shoving him over some chairs before throwing their fists and anything else they could find at the disrespectful MMA fighter.

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A post shared by Nash Palma (@nash_4_tigram)

Ali Heibati apologizes for his show of disrespect at MMA event in Russia

Following all the drama, Heibati issued a public apology to the ring card girl, identified as Maria.

“Hello everyone. This is for Maria. I didn’t act right with her. The reason was that before the MMA fight there were a lot of fistfights. I stayed there in the cage and I just wanted to go out and fight,” he said. “I was tense and, as most understand, emotions flourish in the fight, so before the fight I acted badly towards María.

“I want to publicly apologise to her. I am a married man, so I respect the female gender. She was doing her job and I, after the fight, didn’t admit my guilt either, because they also hit me on the head. Tell María that I am sorry” (h/t DailyMail).

Unfortunately for Heibati, it was too little, too late. By the time it was all said and done, he was slapped with a lifetime ban from HFC.