Tag: pfl

Sean Strickland Asks PFL To Release Undefeated Champion For UFC Move

Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland is pushing for one of his top teammates to be competing under the same banner as him soon enough. Strickland is currently gearing up for his first assignment of the new year — a chance at redemption opposite current 185-pound kingpin Dricus Du Plessis in the main event of […]

Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland is pushing for one of his top teammates to be competing under the same banner as him soon enough.

Strickland is currently gearing up for his first assignment of the new year — a chance at redemption opposite current 185-pound kingpin Dricus Du Plessis in the main event of UFC 312 on Feb. 8.

In the lead-up to his rematch with the South African in Sydney, Australia, Strickland hasn’t been short on top-tier training partners over at Xtreme Couture. And one of his most prominent teammates is Bellator Middleweight Champion Johnny Eblen.

Eblen is 16-0 as a professional and has held Bellator gold since a dominant decision victory to dethrone Gegard Mousasi in 2022. He’s since defended the title three times, twice against Fabian Edwards, and defeated Impa Kasanganay to win a “PFL vs. Bellator Champion of Champions” Super Belt.

The 33-year-old’s future is somewhat uncertain after the PFL announced the end of the Bellator brand. While the promotion will no doubt be keen to have Eblen front and center as it enters a new era, Strickland hopes his teammate’s future lies in the Octagon.

He showed as much in a recent post on his Instagram Stories, which saw him ask the PFL to release “Johnny Pressure” in order to facilitate a move to the UFC.

Sean Strickland & Johnny Eblen

The PFL has been dealing with many unhappy Bellator titleholders in recent times, with both Patricio Pitbull and Patchy Mix publicly requesting their releases after not receiving their desired level of activity in 2024.

Eblen, meanwhile, has remained relatively tight-lipped about his feelings toward the PFL — though he did express some confusion over his status as a Bellator champ following the elimination of the brand this year.

Khabib Nurmagomedov Sends Supportive Message To Paul Hughes After Conor McGregor’s Attack: ‘You Are A Real Irishman!’

Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has unsurprisingly taken aim at longtime rival Conor McGregor and backed Paul Hughes in the Irishman’s sudden back and forth with “The Notorious.” The relationship between Hughes and McGregor has taken a firm downward turn this week after footage emerged of “Big News” discussing Ireland’s most prominent fighter while […]

Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has unsurprisingly taken aim at longtime rival Conor McGregor and backed Paul Hughes in the Irishman’s sudden back and forth with “The Notorious.”

The relationship between Hughes and McGregor has taken a firm downward turn this week after footage emerged of “Big News” discussing Ireland’s most prominent fighter while in conversation with Khabib.

Hughes spoke to “The Eagle” inside the cage at the PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai event last weekend, where the former Cage Warriors standout pushed Khabib’s cousin, Usman Nurmagomedov, all the way in their Bellator lightweight title fight.

While much of the lead-up had been heated with a “Dagestan vs. Ireland” narrative, Usman showed respect to Hughes after taking the decision win. And the defeated challenger was keen to express to the opposition team that he’s far from the same as another Irish fighter whose controversial nature Khabib got to know very well a few years ago.

Footage of Hughes making that point to the former UFC champ quickly went viral and found its way to McGregor, who has since been slamming “Big News” in a series of tweets, one of which saw him question Hughes’ Irish heritage.

Though Hughes has been garnering support with his own firm responses to McGregor, he also received some backing from “The Eagle,” who branded his rival a “rapist and drug addict” in a post on his Instagram Stories.

“You are a real Irishman @paulhughesmma and not a rapist and drug addict like this bastard,” Nurmagomedov wrote.

McGregor was recently embroiled in a civil court case after being accused of rape by Nikita Hand. He was found civilly liable for the assault late last year and forced to pay the victim almost €250,000.

The Irishman’s troubles appear far from ending, too, after he was sued by a woman who claims he sexually assaulted her during the Heat vs. Celtics NBA game in June 2023.

VIDEO: Paul Hughes Distances Himself From Conor McGregor During In-Cage Conversation With Khabib

It doesn’t look like the PFL will be drawing a link between Paul Hughes and Conor McGregor going forward. In the build-up to Hughes’ title fight against Usman Nurmagomedov this past weekend, the promotion used the prior history between Dagestan and Ireland to promote the fight. With the Bellator lightweight champion being cornered by his […]

It doesn’t look like the PFL will be drawing a link between Paul Hughes and Conor McGregor going forward. In the build-up to Hughes’ title fight against Usman Nurmagomedov this past weekend, the promotion used the prior history between Dagestan and Ireland to promote the fight.

With the Bellator lightweight champion being cornered by his cousin, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Hughes had even mentioned having McGregor with him at one stage but any plans for this to happen quickly fell apart for multiple reasons, including the former UFC star’s civil assault case and his commitments with BKFC.

Following an incredible fight at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, video footage shows Hughes sharing a quick word with Khabib where there is a clear mutual respect between them. The challenger can be seen referencing “The Notorious” and how they are not the same person in a short clip from Will Harris’ “Anatomy Of A Fighter”.

“I’m not like this other guy, I’m my own man. I’m not like this other guy.”

Once the clip was posted on social media, it quickly caught the attention of McGregor who has exchanged compliments with Hughes on multiple occasions. That being said, the public opinion surrounding “The Mac” has changed a lot in recent times and his previous actions shouldn’t influence the way that “Big News” is perceived.

McGregor hit back at Hughes in a series of now deleted posts which took a swipe at the Irish pride of the 27-year old rising star.

Hughes posted a short response to some of the comments made by McGregor in reaction to the video footage. He makes it clear that he has always given his fellow Irishman respect for what he has achieved in the sport.

What did Khabib Nurmagomedov Tell Usman In-Between Rounds? The Champ Reveals “Show to Me Your Heart”

What did Khabib Nurmagomedov Tell Usman In-Between Rounds? The Champ Reveals "Show to Me Your Heart"What exactly did Khabib Nurmagomedov tell his cousin during Saturday’s PFL Road to Dubai headliner? Reigning Bellator lightweight titleholder…

What did Khabib Nurmagomedov Tell Usman In-Between Rounds? The Champ Reveals "Show to Me Your Heart"

What exactly did Khabib Nurmagomedov tell his cousin during Saturday’s PFL Road to Dubai headliner?

Reigning Bellator lightweight titleholder Usman Nurmagomedov faced his toughest test to date, going five hard rounds with Irish sensation Paul Hughes in the first PFL event of 2025. After 25 minutes of intense back-and-forth action, Nurmagomedov overcame the adversity and emerged victorious, keeping both his title and his undefeated record intact.

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Following the fight, Usman offered some insight into the words that Khabib told him as the fight seemingly started to slip away.

“Yes, he said, ‘You show to me your heart. I like, I like this. This is what you need.’ And I said, ‘It’s not for what I need. I was focused on finishing.’ He said, ‘No, no, no. This is experience. This is what you need.’ I agree with that,” Usman Nurmagomedov said during a post-fight interview.

Usman Nurmagomedov ultimately left with a majority decision victory after one judge ruled the bout as a draw. The somewhat controversial decision moved the 26-year-old Dagestani star to 19-0 in his professional mixed martial arts career.

Usman Nurmagomedov says no to immediate rematch with Paul Hughes

Given the close nature of the contest, some fight fans quickly began clamoring for an immediate rematch between the two. However, the Dagestani has little interest in that, suggesting the Irishman needs to go out and get a few more wins before earning another opportunity at the gold.

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“No, he have to earn with a couple two, three, four fights in [PFL],” Nurmagomedov said in a backstage interview after the event. “He had only two fights and they gave him title shot. But Paul Hughes, this is all my respect to this guy. I think if he even go to the tournament for $1 million, he 100 percent [has a] chance to take this belt. Then, we can talk rematches.”

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Dakota Ditcheva Embraces the Barbie Persona ‘I Don’t Look Like a Fighter’ She Tells Michael Venom Page

Dakota Ditcheva Embraces the Barbie Persona 'I Don’t Look Like a Fighter' She Tells Michael Venom PageDakota Ditcheva is no stranger to being in the spotlight, but one thing she’s come to embrace in her…

Dakota Ditcheva Embraces the Barbie Persona 'I Don’t Look Like a Fighter' She Tells Michael Venom Page

Dakota Ditcheva is no stranger to being in the spotlight, but one thing she’s come to embrace in her rise in the MMA world is being called “Barbie.” While some might consider it an insult, the undefeated British fighter has turned the moniker into a source of empowerment, using it to fuel her victory in the 2024 PFL Women’s Flyweight Tournament.

Dakota Ditcheva on Barbie

In the lead-up to her showdown with former UFC contender Taila Santos, Dakota Ditcheva was no stranger to the “Barbie” comparisons. After winning her European belt, Santos commented on Ditcheva’s post, saying, “I want Barbie’s belt,” a remark that stuck and added fuel to the fire of their rivalry. But for Ditcheva, the nickname didn’t bother her at all. Instead, she embraced it.

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“I’m blonde, don’t look like a fighter, but it turned into hate from my last opponent, Taila Santos,” Ditcheva shared speaking with Bellator and UFC athlete Michael ‘Venom’ Page. “Yes, that’s when it started. After I won my European belt, she commented under the post saying, ‘I want Barbie’s belt.’”

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Rather than viewing the comment as a slight, Ditcheva saw it as an opportunity to showcase the different facets of her personality, both as a fighter and as someone who embraces her appearance. “Obviously, she’d just come out of the UFC. Yeah, she was coming over to PFL and was like, ‘Okay.’ And then that’s what she’s just run with the whole time now since she’s been with PFL.”

The playful jab did little to derail Dakota Ditcheva’s focus on her ultimate goal. When the two met in the PFL Flyweight Tournament final in November 2024, Ditcheva delivered a dominant performance, stopping Santos in the second round with a flurry of body shots, capturing both the PFL world title and a $1 million prize.

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Despite Santos’ experience in the UFC, Dakota Ditcheva’s sharp striking skills and relentless pace made quick work of her opponent. It was a historic win for Ditcheva. Yet even after such a monumental victory, it was the “Barbie” nickname that had Ditcheva grinning. “I think loads of people have enjoyed running with the whole Barbie thing now,” she said, reflecting on how the nickname has grown on her. “Especially my friend—she did me a surprise party and made like a big Barbie box.”

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She’s embraced the nickname, turned it into a fun part of her persona, and is proving that her skills are more than just looks. “Calling me Barbie is not an insult,” she said, “It’s just part of who I am.”

Dakota Ditcheva Embraces the Barbie Persona ‘I Don’t Look Like a Fighter’ She Tells Michael Venom Page

Dakota Ditcheva Embraces the Barbie Persona 'I Don’t Look Like a Fighter' She Tells Michael Venom PageDakota Ditcheva is no stranger to being in the spotlight, but one thing she’s come to embrace in her…

Dakota Ditcheva Embraces the Barbie Persona 'I Don’t Look Like a Fighter' She Tells Michael Venom Page

Dakota Ditcheva is no stranger to being in the spotlight, but one thing she’s come to embrace in her rise in the MMA world is being called “Barbie.” While some might consider it an insult, the undefeated British fighter has turned the moniker into a source of empowerment, using it to fuel her victory in the 2024 PFL Women’s Flyweight Tournament.

Dakota Ditcheva on Barbie

In the lead-up to her showdown with former UFC contender Taila Santos, Dakota Ditcheva was no stranger to the “Barbie” comparisons. After winning her European belt, Santos commented on Ditcheva’s post, saying, “I want Barbie’s belt,” a remark that stuck and added fuel to the fire of their rivalry. But for Ditcheva, the nickname didn’t bother her at all. Instead, she embraced it.

dakota ditcheva

“I’m blonde, don’t look like a fighter, but it turned into hate from my last opponent, Taila Santos,” Ditcheva shared speaking with Bellator and UFC athlete Michael ‘Venom’ Page. “Yes, that’s when it started. After I won my European belt, she commented under the post saying, ‘I want Barbie’s belt.’”

Dakota 88

Rather than viewing the comment as a slight, Ditcheva saw it as an opportunity to showcase the different facets of her personality, both as a fighter and as someone who embraces her appearance. “Obviously, she’d just come out of the UFC. Yeah, she was coming over to PFL and was like, ‘Okay.’ And then that’s what she’s just run with the whole time now since she’s been with PFL.”

The playful jab did little to derail Dakota Ditcheva’s focus on her ultimate goal. When the two met in the PFL Flyweight Tournament final in November 2024, Ditcheva delivered a dominant performance, stopping Santos in the second round with a flurry of body shots, capturing both the PFL world title and a $1 million prize.

dakota1

Despite Santos’ experience in the UFC, Dakota Ditcheva’s sharp striking skills and relentless pace made quick work of her opponent. It was a historic win for Ditcheva. Yet even after such a monumental victory, it was the “Barbie” nickname that had Ditcheva grinning. “I think loads of people have enjoyed running with the whole Barbie thing now,” she said, reflecting on how the nickname has grown on her. “Especially my friend—she did me a surprise party and made like a big Barbie box.”

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She’s embraced the nickname, turned it into a fun part of her persona, and is proving that her skills are more than just looks. “Calling me Barbie is not an insult,” she said, “It’s just part of who I am.”