Tag: Top Stories

Leon Edwards Expects Layoff To Affect 36-Year-Old Belal Muhammad At UFC 304: ‘He Was Slow Anyway!’ 

UFC Welterweight Champion Leon Edwards believes he’ll have the advantage of more recent activity over Belal Muhammad this weekend. Edwards will put his 170-pound title on the line for the third time at the UFC 304 pay-per-view event on Saturday night, headlining the card in front of his home fans at the Co-op Live arena […]

Continue Reading Leon Edwards Expects Layoff To Affect 36-Year-Old Belal Muhammad At UFC 304: ‘He Was Slow Anyway!’  at MMA News.

UFC Welterweight Champion Leon Edwards believes he’ll have the advantage of more recent activity over Belal Muhammad this weekend.

Edwards will put his 170-pound title on the line for the third time at the UFC 304 pay-per-view event on Saturday night, headlining the card in front of his home fans at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England.

Having retained possession of the gold at the expense of Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington in 2023, Edwards is next tasked with revisiting his history with Muhammad over three years on from their first fight.

The pair had a UFC Fight Night main event back in 2021 end in disaster after an accidental eye poke rendered “Remember the Name” unable to continue.

While “Rocky” went on to achieve title glory, Muhammad has worked his way to first shot at the belt and rematch with the Brit courtesy of five straight wins over Demian Maia, Stephen Thompson, Vicente Luque, Sean Brady, and Gilbert Burns.

Some have pointed to that impressive run to justify their predictions for ‘and new’ in the UFC 304 main event. Edwards, however, believes the wait to extend the streak will be to Muhammad’s disadvantage…

Edwards: 14-Month Layoff Could Impact Muhammad At UFC 304

During a recent interview with Sportsnet’s Aaron Bronsteter, Edwards looked ahead to his third defense of the welterweight title and second on home soil since capturing it at the expense of Usman almost two years ago.

“Rocky” pointed out that Muhammad has been awaiting his opportunity ever since outpointing Burns in May 2023. And with the champ having got the better of Covington last December, he expects the seven-month disparity in their layoffs to show itself at UFC 304.

“Come next Saturday, he hasn’t fought for more than a year. He’s 36 years old now? 37 years old? Whatever he is. And he was slow anyway,” Edwards said with a laugh. “I feel like me now coming out, I fought in December and been training ever since. I feel like I’ve had the harder fights. I’ve had similar style matchups my last three or four fights. So I feel like it’s all playing out well, you know?”

When he enters the cage on July 27, Muhammad will be looking to break a record and prove a notable stat regarding age wrong. A victory would mark him as the oldest title challenger to win gold in the 170-pound division or lower.

Nevertheless, while stats would point to his age as a significant advantage for the champ, Edwards insisted he is preparing for and ready to dispatch the best possible Muhammad come fight night in Manchester.

Continue Reading Leon Edwards Expects Layoff To Affect 36-Year-Old Belal Muhammad At UFC 304: ‘He Was Slow Anyway!’  at MMA News.

Jon Jones Told He ‘Cannot Do Anything But Acknowledge That Victory’ If Tom Aspinall Defeats Curtis Blaydes At UFC 304

UFC commentator John Gooden recently said that Jon Jones should give due recognition to Tom Aspinall if he manages to overcome Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304. Last November, the undisputed heavyweight champion was slated to put his title on the line against Stipe Miocic at UFC 295. However, a torn pectoral muscle forced Jones out […]

Continue Reading Jon Jones Told He ‘Cannot Do Anything But Acknowledge That Victory’ If Tom Aspinall Defeats Curtis Blaydes At UFC 304 at MMA News.

UFC commentator John Gooden recently said that Jon Jones should give due recognition to Tom Aspinall if he manages to overcome Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304.

Last November, the undisputed heavyweight champion was slated to put his title on the line against Stipe Miocic at UFC 295. However, a torn pectoral muscle forced Jones out of action, postponing the highly anticipated fight.

As a result, Aspinall rose to the occasion on short notice to face the backup fighter, Sergei Pavlovich, for the interim heavyweight title. The Englishman delivered an electrifying performance, clinching a knockout triumph just over a minute into the first round.

Riding high on his victory, Aspinall called for a title unification bout with “Bones”. However, the American has persistently rebuffed the challenge and even downplayed Aspinall’s status as an interim champion. Instead, Jones has expressed his intention to reconvene his bout with Miocic, which is seemingly targeted for November.

Frustrated by the inactivity, Aspinall chose to defend his interim title in a rematch against former adversary Blaydes. The showdown is set as the co-main event at UFC 304, taking place on July 27 in his hometown of Manchester.

Gooden believes this is Aspinall’s golden opportunity to make a bold statement and compel Jones to acquiesce to his formidable presence in the heavyweight division…

Gooden Foresees Blaydes as Aspinall’s Stepping Stone to Jones Clash

During a recent interview with MiddleEasy, Gooden offered a preview of Aspinall’s upcoming title defense against Blaydes, suggesting that “Razor” constitutes a formidable threat for the Salford native if he relies on his wrestling and grappling prowess.

However, the English UFC commentator noted that Aspinall could surmount this challenge by applying relentless pressure with his precise striking.

“He [Blaydes] is a very, very dangerous guy, a legitimate perennial contender who has been there or thereabouts for the longest time,” Gooden said. “He’s also crossed those leaderboards with his style, obviously with the wrestling-heavy grappling style. But the man will open you up if he lands an elbow, and he will change the fight.”

Gooden also hinted that defeating Blaydes could catapult Aspinall to a status that would force “Bones” to recognize his legitimacy.

“If Tom Aspinall gets past Curtis Blaydes, and particularly in an impressive fashion, then I think that Jon Jones cannot do anything but acknowledge that victory and therefore surely must creep a little bit further into those two getting together, but of course, Tom’s got a big appointment ahead.”

Aspinall holds an Octagon record of seven victories since his promotional debut in July 2022, highlighted by six first-round finishes against formidable adversaries such as Sergei Pavlovich, Alexander Volkov, and Marcin Tybura.

The only blemish on his record during this UFC run has been a TKO loss resulting from an unforeseen knee injury just 15 seconds into his bout against Blaydes at UFC Fight Night London in July 2022.

Continue Reading Jon Jones Told He ‘Cannot Do Anything But Acknowledge That Victory’ If Tom Aspinall Defeats Curtis Blaydes At UFC 304 at MMA News.

UFC 304’s Paddy Pimblett Bemoans Jared Gordon ‘Robbery’ Still Being Brought Up: ‘People Need To Watch Khabib vs. Gleison Tibau!’ 

UFC lightweight Paddy Pimblett believes fans are focusing more on his controversial decision victory over Jared Gordon than some actual “robberies.” Pimblett is set to return to action for his first assignment of 2024 at this weekend’s UFC 304 pay-per-view event, where the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England, will play host to his first […]

Continue Reading UFC 304’s Paddy Pimblett Bemoans Jared Gordon ‘Robbery’ Still Being Brought Up: ‘People Need To Watch Khabib vs. Gleison Tibau!’  at MMA News.

UFC lightweight Paddy Pimblett believes fans are focusing more on his controversial decision victory over Jared Gordon than some actual “robberies.”

Pimblett is set to return to action for his first assignment of 2024 at this weekend’s UFC 304 pay-per-view event, where the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England, will play host to his first opportunity to crack the rankings at 155 pounds.

To do so, “The Baddy” must extend his perfect Octagon record at the expense of King Green. The Liverpudlian will enter the contest as an underdog and with significant portions of the MMA community doubting his chances.

That trend has been evident ever since a narrow victory over Jared Gordon at UFC 282 in December 2022. Having boosted his stock to an all-time high with back-to-back highlight reel submission in London that year, a controversial decision going in his favor appeared to turn a strong chunk of the fanbase against Pimblett.

And the fact that his win over Gordon is still used as a way to detract from his UFC career thus far remains a point of frustration for the ex-Cage Warriors champion…

Pimblett: Gordon Fight Was ‘Close’, Not A ‘Robbery’

During an interview with the New York Post Sports’ Erich Richter, Pimblett looked ahead to his first outing on home soil since 2022 and discussed the two results he’s had in the United States since.

While he’s another fight on from the widely debated decision against Gordon, Pimblett noted that he still gets plenty of comments about it. “The Baddy” bemoaned that fact, pointing to what sees as legitimate robberies that don’t get the level of scrutiny as his “close” bout with Gordon does 19 months later.

“It was a close decision. I do regret saying in the cage after, ‘No way, that wasn’t close!’ But lad, I just fought for 15 minutes,” Pimblett said. “I still get comments on my YouTube to this day, ‘It seems like Paddy’s got more humble now since he fought Jared Gordon.’ Like, what? I’m still the same person. … The fact I said, ‘I think I won that fight,’ people turned on me. I found that absolutely crazy.

“I ended up watching the fight back and was like, ‘Yeah, that was a close fight.’ … But I think if you watch it with commentary, that sways you a lot more towards Jared,” Pimblett continued. “It was a close fight, but I don’t get to this day why it still gets brought up and people still say that it’s a robbery. If that’s a robbery, people need to go watch Khabib vs. Gleison Tibau! Even Jared’s last fight, that’s more of a robbery.”

Nevertheless, while he’s struggled to escape the memory of that controversy in the year and a half since, Pimblett has insisted that the fanbase will be back on his side after he dispatches King Green in violent fashion come fight night in Manchester.

The pair are tasked with setting the stage for two championship headliners, as Pimblett’s fellow countrymen Leon Edwards and Tom Aspinall put their titles on the line.

Continue Reading UFC 304’s Paddy Pimblett Bemoans Jared Gordon ‘Robbery’ Still Being Brought Up: ‘People Need To Watch Khabib vs. Gleison Tibau!’  at MMA News.

Vicente Luque vs. Nick Diaz Off UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi Card, Shara ‘Bullet’ Magomedov Returns In New Co-Main Event

Those who were hoping to see another Nick Diaz appearance in the Octagon really soon will be disappointed. Per the broadcast of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night, a “travel issue” has left Diaz unable to compete in his scheduled co-main event bout with Vicente Luque on Aug. 3, when the promotion holds a UFC Fight Night […]

Continue Reading Vicente Luque vs. Nick Diaz Off UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi Card, Shara ‘Bullet’ Magomedov Returns In New Co-Main Event at MMA News.

Those who were hoping to see another Nick Diaz appearance in the Octagon really soon will be disappointed.

Per the broadcast of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night, a “travel issue” has left Diaz unable to compete in his scheduled co-main event bout with Vicente Luque on Aug. 3, when the promotion holds a UFC Fight Night card at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.

It was announced that undefeated middleweight prospect Sharabutdin “Bullet” Magomedov will now be featured in the new co-main event, taking on Michal Oleksiejczuk.

Diaz’s last UFC appearance came at UFC 266 in September 2021, losing to Robbie Lawler. That marked the Stockton star’s first MMA fight since his January 2015 clash with Anderson Silva.

Luque, meanwhile, has lost three of his last four, most recently being stopped by Joaquin Buckley at UFC Fight Night Atlantic City.

The UFC is expected to reschedule Luque vs. Diaz for an event at a late date.

Luque & Diaz Out, Magomedov In For UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi

Magomedov competed just last month at UFC Fight Night Saudi Arabia, scoring a third-round finish of Antonio Trócoli. He made his Octagon debut in Abu Dhabi last year, defeating Bruno Silva at UFC 294.

Oleksiejczuk, on the other hand, has lost three of his last four, most recently being submitted by Kevin Holland at UFC 302 last month in Newark.

UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi on August 3 will be headlined by Cory Sandhagen vs. Umar Nurmagomedov. It is the first of two events to take place in Abu Dhabi this year, with UFC 308 to be held in the same location on October 26.

Continue Reading Vicente Luque vs. Nick Diaz Off UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi Card, Shara ‘Bullet’ Magomedov Returns In New Co-Main Event at MMA News.

Israel Adesanya, Alex Pereira Among UFC Fighters Touted To Destroy Jake Paul In Boxing Match: ‘Too Quick, Too Slick, Too Fast, Too Technical’

Michael Bisping contends that beyond the formidable Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya, a host of UFC fighters possess the prowess to beat down Jake Paul in the boxing ring. It appears that the age-old rivalry between MMA and boxing continues to burn brightly, with “The Problem Child” fanning the flames. Following his sixth-round TKO victory […]

Continue Reading Israel Adesanya, Alex Pereira Among UFC Fighters Touted To Destroy Jake Paul In Boxing Match: ‘Too Quick, Too Slick, Too Fast, Too Technical’ at MMA News.

Michael Bisping contends that beyond the formidable Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya, a host of UFC fighters possess the prowess to beat down Jake Paul in the boxing ring.

It appears that the age-old rivalry between MMA and boxing continues to burn brightly, with “The Problem Child” fanning the flames. Following his sixth-round TKO victory over former UFC fighter Mike Perry in their cruiserweight boxing bout last weekend, Paul made some incendiary remarks that have ruffled feathers in the MMA community.

The YouTuber-turned-boxer has consistently expressed a keen interest in facing UFC fighters, with Conor McGregor frequently being mentioned as a desired opponent. However, this past Saturday, he surprised everyone by calling out a new challenger: the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion.

Despite “Poatan” being hailed as one of the most lethal strikers in the UFC today, Paul boldly declared during the post-event press conference that he would “decapitate and dethrone” the Brazilian in a potential boxing match. This audacious claim incensed former UFC middleweight champion Bisping…

Bisping Lists UFC Fighters Who Would Dominate Paul In Squared Circle

In a recent video on his YouTube channel, Bisping weighed in on Paul’s callout of Pereira for a boxing match. “The Count” dissected “Poatan’s” impressive victories over renowned former champions like Adesanya, Jan Blachowicz, Jiri Prochazka, and Jamahal Hill. He confidently asserted that Pereira would undoubtedly outclass “The Problem Child” in the boxing ring.

“That is the craziest, most grandiose statement I have ever heard in my life,” Bisping said. “Alex Pereira is gigantic. Alex Pereira is way bigger than Jake Paul… Alex Pereira is a monster. Alex Pereira is not a blown-up lightweight; he’s a champion of two weight divisions and he’s beaten five former champions.

The UFC Hall of Famer added that all the fighters Pereira has defeated are equally capable of dismantling Paul in a boxing match, and they would do so in a resoundingly dominant fashion.

“All those people that I just mentioned would absolutely wipe the floor with Jake Paul. Jamahal Hill would brutalize him. Jiri Prochazka would marmalize him. Israel Adesanya would embarrass him from start to finish. Too quick, too slick, too fast, too technical.”

Paul has previously fought former UFC fighters Anderson Silva, Tyron Woodley (twice), Nate Diaz, and Ben Askren, though all were notably beyond their prime.

Although the likelihood of a Pereira vs. Paul boxing match is slim due to the UFC’s stringent contracts, the Brazilian fighter appeared enthusiastic about the potential showdown in his brief video exchange with Paul.

Continue Reading Israel Adesanya, Alex Pereira Among UFC Fighters Touted To Destroy Jake Paul In Boxing Match: ‘Too Quick, Too Slick, Too Fast, Too Technical’ at MMA News.

Sean O’Malley Supports Jake Paul Continuing To Box MMA Fighters, Callout Of UFC Champion Alex Pereira

Unlike many, UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley is actually in support of Jake Paul sharing the ring with MMA fighters. Paul had his 11th match in professional boxing this past weekend, throwing down with former UFC fighter-turned-BKFC star Mike Perry inside the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. The pair’s main event on DAZN pay-per-view came […]

Continue Reading Sean O’Malley Supports Jake Paul Continuing To Box MMA Fighters, Callout Of UFC Champion Alex Pereira at MMA News.

Unlike many, UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley is actually in support of Jake Paul sharing the ring with MMA fighters.

Paul had his 11th match in professional boxing this past weekend, throwing down with former UFC fighter-turned-BKFC star Mike Perry inside the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.

The pair’s main event on DAZN pay-per-view came to a close in the sixth round when Paul followed early knockdowns and frequent success at the expense of “Platinum” with one final damaging flurry to earn the knockout.

Perry, who made his name in the cage, marked the latest mixed martial arts name added to Paul’s record, joining Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva, and Nate Diaz in that group.

Paul’s choice of opponents has long been a point of discussion for his detractors. And the continuation of that trend on Saturday night was used by many to criticize the 27-year-old Cleveland native once again, in addition to his callout of UFC champion Alex Pereira.

But not everyone in MMA is against Paul’s boxing approach…

O’Malley Happy To Keep Watching Paul vs. MMA Fighters

During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, O’Malley reacted to Paul’s latest success inside the ring and his unexpected post-match callout.

While many laughed off Paul’s decision to put Pereira’s name on his lips in the ring, “Sugar” had nothing but praise for the callout.

“He called out Alex Pereira. That fight won’t happen unless Dana (White) says, ‘I’m sick of seeing Jake beat all these UFC guys.’ … Imagine Alex Pereira vs. Jake Paul. Dude, Alex has crazy power in both hands, but the dude literally throws from his hips. He is there to be hit,” O’Malley said. “I love the callout. Imagine we get to see that. Imagine Jake Paul goes out there and knocks out Mike Tyson, Jake Paul vs. Alex Pereira, huge.

“Jake looks like he’s improving every single fight. I’m excited to continue to watch him fight,” O’Malley continued. “Jake is doing such a good job. After a fight, the biggest thing is what’s next. You’ve gotta set yourself up for those opportunities, and Jake’s doing that better than anybody right now.”

And the callout wasn’t the only criticism of Paul that O’Malley defended against. He also differed from many with his view on “The Problem Child” continuing to welcome MMA veterans into the ring.

“He hasn’t fought a top let’s say 20 guy in the world; a top-20 boxer in his weight class,” O’Malley noted. “That’s when you’re really gonna be able to see how good Jake Paul is. … I personally enjoy watching him fight these MMA guys. I like those fights. But I’m here for whatever. … I like these crossover fights.”

Paul will move away from focusing on a prominent MMA name for the time being, instead putting his sights back on heavyweight legend Mike Tyson ahead of their rearranged Netflix showdown this November.

Continue Reading Sean O’Malley Supports Jake Paul Continuing To Box MMA Fighters, Callout Of UFC Champion Alex Pereira at MMA News.