Tag: UFC 257

Dana White Wants International Fight Week Built Around UFC 257

Dana WhiteUFC president Dana White wants the organization to pull out all the bells and whistles for Conor McGregor’s return at UFC 257. With McGregor officially signing his end of the bout agreement against Dustin Poirier, the UFC can start planning it’s build up to the fight. White’s idea is to have “Fight Island” play host […]

Dana White

UFC president Dana White wants the organization to pull out all the bells and whistles for Conor McGregor’s return at UFC 257.

With McGregor officially signing his end of the bout agreement against Dustin Poirier, the UFC can start planning it’s build up to the fight. White’s idea is to have “Fight Island” play host to an International Fight Week event, and have multiple cards building up to UFC 257 and possibly even fans. He detailed his plan in an interview with Barstool Sports.

“I’m looking to make it International Fight Week. The new Etihad Arena will be open, and that thing was designed with us in mind. Concerts, pool parties, all kinds of cool stuff. And, yes, I hope to bring fans back. … That’s what I’m shooting for.”

White has been adamant about pushing through the coronavirus and hosting events during the pandemic. Since their May return from the COVID lockdown, the UFC has primarily operated weekly shows out of the APEX Gym in Las Vegas, and two separate five-weeks stints on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi. Having fans be able to attend a show featuring the UFC’s biggest draw in McGregor comes as no surprise. White is certain that the UFC would be able to pull it off safely.

“It would be good to have fans. And the thing is, from ‘Fight Island’ we can get fans all over the world there. It’s an easy destination to get to, a fun destination to go to, and we can just (expletive) blow the doors off this thing,” White said.

“I’m ready for some fights with fans. I’m ready to go to a live concert. I’m ready to have some parties. I’m gonna go to all this shit. I want to mingle with the fans again. I want the fans back. We’ve figured this whole thing out up to now. We’ll figure out how to do do this safely and pull this thing off in Abu Dhabi.”

International Fight Week has typically taken place in July. The UFC usually builds up a number of fight cards to go along with the UFC Hall of Fame induction ceremony as well as a fan convention, among other events. Max Holloway and Calvin Kattar are already scheduled to headline a card on January 16, one week before UFC 257. With hopes of having a full week of fights, don’t be surprised to see the UFC add another card between the two dates.

What do you think of Dana White’s plan to have fans attend International Fight Week?

Conor McGregor Lambasts Fans Who Criticized His Decision To Fight Donald Cerrone

McGregorAhead of his planned return to action at UFC 257 opposite former-foe, Dustin ‘The Diamond’ Poirier, former two-weight world champion, ‘The Notorious’ Conor McGregor has denounced critics and fans for criticizing his decision to snap an eighteen-month hiatus from the sport in January this year, in a UFC 246 clash with Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone. McGregor, […]

McGregor

Ahead of his planned return to action at UFC 257 opposite former-foe, Dustin ‘The Diamond’ Poirier, former two-weight world champion, ‘The Notorious’ Conor McGregor has denounced critics and fans for criticizing his decision to snap an eighteen-month hiatus from the sport in January this year, in a UFC 246 clash with Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone.

McGregor, who according to promotional president, Dana White, has yet to sign his bout agreement to match with Poirier at the proposed January 23rd. event, possibly on ‘Fight Island’ – is currently training in Albufeira, Portugal alongside Brave CF striker, Cian Cowley and his family. 

The Straight Blast Gym staple, who was preparing for a potential three-fight “season” in 2020, seen those plans scuppered in part due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic which forced the UFC to cancel events, before hosting showcases behind closed gates.

In his sole Octagon outing of the year, the 32-year-old counter striker headlined the above mentioned UFC 246 event at the T-Mobile Arena, wiping out veteran striker, Cerrone with a forty-second high-kick followed by strikes stoppage win in a welterweight main event.

Briefly floated as a potential opponent for recent interim champion, Justin ‘The Highlight’ Gaethje for a potential July event this summer, that bout failed to materialise, with the former lightweight and featherweight champion now largely expected to meet with former interim 155-pound best, Poirier in January.

Speaking with Parimatch recently in a telling interview, McGregor spoke of criticism he’s received online for his decision to mark his Octagon return with a showdown opposite veteran contender, Cerrone.

“You know, you go online and you’ll see some guy like, ‘Hey, you only f*cking fought (Donald) Cerrone’ like imagine some guy saying that about a legend,” McGregor said. “The way the fans kind of try to downplay who you fought or something or say, ‘You haven’t fought this guy yet’ or you ain’t done that.“

“If you think of it like a mirror, that person who’s writing this or saying this, he himself is projecting his own insecurities because that person wouldn’t have fought anyone on planet Earth. So he’s saying, ‘You ain’t doing this, you ain’t doing that’ when it’s in his own thoughts that he ain’t done this or ain’t done that on any scale, so it’s like a mirror.  You know as long as your own self is right, everything else around you will become right. And that’s it.“

With the future of current undisputed champion, Khabib ‘The Eagle’ Nurmagomedov still up in the air in regards to a recently announced retirement, the division continues to develop with contenders like McGregor, Poirier, and Gaethje, as well as Tony ‘El Cucuy’ Ferguson, Michael Chandler, Charles Oliveira and recent returner, Rafael dos Anjos outlined as potential challengers over the course of next year. 

Dana White Provides Update As Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier Fight Edges Closer

McGregor PoirierConor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier is not official yet — but it is close. That’s according to UFC president Dana White who provided an update on the lightweight matchup expected to headline the UFC 257 pay-per-view event on January 23. It was recently reported that both sides had come to terms on a deal on […]

McGregor Poirier

Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier is not official yet — but it is close.

That’s according to UFC president Dana White who provided an update on the lightweight matchup expected to headline the UFC 257 pay-per-view event on January 23.

It was recently reported that both sides had come to terms on a deal on Monday. However, White revealed to ESPN that only Poirier has signed a bout agreement as of now. McGregor — who verbally agreed to the fight last month –was sent the bout agreement on Tuesday but has yet to sign it.

That said, White is hopeful it will be official soon.

“Jan. 23 on Fight Island, if everything goes according to plans,” White said. “There are a ton of if’s right now. I have to see where the world is at in the next couple of months.”

ESPN adds that the UFC had a hard time negotiating with Poirier to the point that they even considered a different opponent for McGregor. In the end, Poirier finally agreed to a deal.

If booked, it will mark McGregor’s return to action after over a year after previously returning in January this year where he needed just 40 seconds to TKO Donald Cerrone in the UFC 246 headliner.

Poirier, meanwhile, is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Dan Hooker in June. He previously faced McGregor in a featherweight bout back in 2014 but would suffer a first-round TKO defeat. “The Diamond” has since won 10 of his last 13 fights.

Do you think the fight will be made official soon? And who wins?

Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier Booked for UFC 257

Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier is officially booked for UFC 257 on January 23. According to an MMA Fighting report, the fight between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier is a done deal for UFC 257. There were some rumors circulating that the UFC could…

Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier is officially booked for UFC 257 on January 23. According to an MMA Fighting report, the fight between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier is a done deal for UFC 257. There were some rumors circulating that the UFC could go in another direction and book Conor McGregor vs. Justin Gaethje […]

The post Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier Booked for UFC 257 appeared first on MMA News.

Report: Antonio Carlos Junior vs. Brad Tavares Set For UFC 257

Carlos JuniorAn intriguing middleweight encounter between Antonio Carlos Junior and Brad Tavares is reportedly being rebooked for early next year. According to Raphael Marinho of Brazilian publication Combate, the pair will meet on January 23. That happens to be the date of the UFC 257 pay-per-view which is set to be headlined by a lightweight bout […]

Carlos Junior

An intriguing middleweight encounter between Antonio Carlos Junior and Brad Tavares is reportedly being rebooked for early next year.

According to Raphael Marinho of Brazilian publication Combate, the pair will meet on January 23. That happens to be the date of the UFC 257 pay-per-view which is set to be headlined by a lightweight bout between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier.

The pair were originally set to face each other at UFC Brasilia earlier this year only for Tavares to pull out due to injury. Tavares was replaced by Makhmud Muradov only for Carlos Junior to then suffer his own injury after tearing his ACL.

The Brazilian later revealed he was hoping to face Tavares by the end of the year.

“Probably end of the year, November or December,” Carlos Junior said. “I hope I can fight Brad Tavares; he’s a good fighter and is also in the rankings.”

They will now have to make do with January on what promises to be an explosive start to the year with McGregor’s return to action.

Carlos Junior last competed in September last year when he suffered a split decision loss to Uriah Hall. That put him on a two-fight losing streak after previously winning his last five fights in a row.

As for Tavares, he too, is on a two-fight losing streak following a unanimous decision defeat to Israel Adesanya in 2018 which was followed by a knockout loss to Edmen Shahbazyan in November last year.

Both fighters will naturally be desperate to return to the win column.

Who do you think wins this contest?

Coach Kavanagh Hints at McGregor/Poirier At Welterweight

Based on recent comments from McGregor head coach John Kavanagh, you can expect the Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier fight to happen at welterweight if it becomes official. Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier have verbally agreed to compete at UFC 257 i…

Based on recent comments from McGregor head coach John Kavanagh, you can expect the Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier fight to happen at welterweight if it becomes official. Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier have verbally agreed to compete at UFC 257 in January 2021, and now the weight division in which the bout would take […]

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