If you missed the UFC 266 pre-fight press conference, don’t fret because we’ve got the highlights for you right here! Tomorrow night, UFC 266 will take place from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. There will be a triple header of five-rounders when Alexander Volkanovski defends his featherweight title against Brian Ortega, Valentina Shevchenko […]
If you missed the UFC 266 pre-fight press conference, don’t fret because we’ve got the highlights for you right here!
Tomorrow night, UFC 266 will take place from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. There will be a triple header of five-rounders when Alexander Volkanovski defends his featherweight title against Brian Ortega, Valentina Shevchenko puts her flyweight title on the line against Lauren Murphy, and Nick Diaz makes his long-awaited return against past foe Robbie Lawler.
All six names took the stage for the press conference yesterday, and you can find the highlights below! (h/t ESPN MMA)
Later today will be both the official and ceremonial UFC 266 weigh-ins. So keep it locked on MMA News throughout the day for additional updates. We will also be bringing you all the results and highlights from the pay-per-view come fight night!
Here is the full lineup for tomorrow’s pay-per-view:
MAIN CARD (10:00 PM ET)
UFC Featherweight Championship Bout: Alexander Volkanovski (c) vs. Brain Ortega
UFC Flyweight Championship Bout: Valentina Shevchenko (c) vs. Lauren Murphy
Five-Round Feature Bout: Nick Diaz vs. Robbie Lawler
Returning UFC legend Nick Diaz has revealed the impact his brother Nate’s defeat to Leon Edwards at UFC 263 had on his focus and preparation ahead of his own return. While Nick gets set for his comeback this weekend at UFC 266, Nate is on the hunt for his second opponent of the year. The […]
Returning UFC legend Nick Diaz has revealed the impact his brother Nate’s defeat to Leon Edwards at UFC 263 had on his focus and preparation ahead of his own return.
While Nick gets set for his comeback this weekend at UFC 266, Nate is on the hunt for his second opponent of the year. The younger Diaz sibling entered the Octagon for the first time since 2019 earlier this year at the June pay-per-view. Against #3-ranked welterweight contender Leon Edwards, the 36-year-old featured in the UFC’s first non-title and non-main event five-round fight.
Despite being beaten and bloodied for the best part of 24 minutes, a late final-minute flurry brought the fans to their feet and nearly saw a remarkable comeback victory for Diaz. In the end, it was “Rocky” who took home a comfortable unanimous decision on the scorecards.
Jun 12, 2021; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Leon Edwards moves in for a hit as Nate Diaz defends during UFC 263 at Gila River Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports ORG XMIT: IMAGN-452019 ORIG FILE ID: 20210612_gav_su5_197.jpg
While his brother put on an entertaining display and maintained his reputation as a fan favorite, Nick Diaz has revealed the negative impact the result had on his own focus and mindset. During an interview with ESPN MMA’s Brett Okamoto, Nick said that his brother’s fight added more stress to an already hard-going training camp.
“Since I’ve had this fight coming up, I’ve been under a lot of stress, yeah. It has not been an easy-going training camp. Because I haven’t fought for a long time for one; and then for two, things just didn’t go my way. Watching my brother fight was hard. That was really hard for me to do. I didn’t expect it to be like that. I wasn’t really ready to leave what I was doing at the time, and it just kinda made me look at things differently after that. I’m a lot different now than before I saw that fight.”
Diaz added that, in hindsight, he should have stayed away from the event and focused on his own preparation. However, given the relationship he has with his brother, that would have been easier said than done.
“Just the timing. It was the wrong time for me to be in there watching that, all up in the mix like that real quick…I wouldn’t even have gone. I would’ve stayed away and focused on myself. But I didn’t know any better. I was doing what I always did. And then going back in there with my brother, it just put my head right back in it and I was like, ‘Oh, wow.’ It was a lot for me to deal with…being away for five years and coming back and seeing that? That was really something new. It really kinda knocked my block off. I took harder punches watching that than I ever did in sparring or any fights. It’s my baby brother, you know? It’s hard to watch him fight.”
After Nate’s loss to Edwards, Nick will be hoping to be more successful when he enters the Octagon against Robbie Lawler this Saturday. Like his brother’s recent outing, the 38-year-old will fight in a rare non-title and non-main event five-round clash.
Lawler and Diaz first met at UFC 47 in 2004. In a rematch 17 years in the making, Diaz will be targeting a replica of the second-round knockout he secured over “Ruthless” towards the start of the century. But despite being on a four-fight losing skid, Lawler has remained active across the last decade and is a former UFC Welterweight Champion.
Valentina Shevchenko has claimed that it will take something superhuman from Lauren Murphy to beat her on Saturday night. On April 24, 2021, Valentina Shevchenko scored a dominant TKO victory over the Brazilian powerhouse, Jéssica Andrade, to make her fifth successful defense of the flyweight title. Just five months on from UFC 261, Shevchenko looks […]
Valentina Shevchenko has claimed that it will take something superhuman from Lauren Murphy to beat her on Saturday night.
On April 24, 2021, Valentina Shevchenko scored a dominant TKO victory over the Brazilian powerhouse, Jéssica Andrade, to make her fifth successful defense of the flyweight title.
Just five months on from UFC 261, Shevchenko looks to tie the all-time women’s UFC record of six title defenses when she steps in the Octagon against Lauren Murphy this weekend.
Despite recently extending her winning streak to five wins when she earned a hard-fought decision over Joanne Calderwood, Shevchenko believes Lauren Murphy must show something extraordinary to beat her—something Valentina doesn’t imagine the 38-year-old having.
Valentina Shevchenko (Photo: Josh Hedges for Zuffa LLC)
When questioned what she thinks of her upcoming opponent during a UFC media day, Shevchenko gave her honest analysis.
“More durable athlete than I’ve ever seen? I doubt. More technical? I doubt. More well-rounded? I doubt. So I know for all the years what I (fought). It’s kind of hard to surprise with something special if you’re not a superhuman,” claimed Valentina. “And I know she’s well-rounded, I know she’s strong, I know she’s dangerous. This is everything that I have to know about her. But something special that I put pressure on my shoulders? No.”
Serving as the co-main event at UFC 266 on September 25, Shevchenko will once again be hoping for a dominant performance and to make short work of yet another #1 contender.
While she arguably faces the toughest test of her career, Lauren Murphy comes into her 20th professional bout without a single stoppage loss, which could serve her well when standing across the Octagon from a killer like Shevchenko.
Who do you see walking away with the women’s flyweight title after Valentina Shevchenko faces Lauren Murphy this weekend?
UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and top contender Brian Ortega have had their fair share of bad blood leading up to their UFC 266 main event, and things turn a more serious turn after Volkanovski brought up Ortega’s past PED use during their faceoff at the pre-fight press conference. Volkanovski is set to make his […]
UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and top contender Brian Ortega have had their fair share of bad blood leading up to their UFC 266 main event, and things turn a more serious turn after Volkanovski brought up Ortega’s past PED use during their faceoff at the pre-fight press conference.
Volkanovski is set to make his second title defense as champion after defeating Max Holloway in back-to-back split decisions. Ortega got the title shot after defeating Chan Sung Jung (otherwise known as ‘The Korean Zombie’) in his last bout and will make his second title challenge after an earlier loss to Holloway.
Volkanovski has become increasingly annoyed with Ortega stemming from their back-and-forth as coaches on this season of The Ultimate Fighter. Unbeknownst to Volkanovski until recently, Ortega tested positive for drostanolone, a performance-enhancing drug following his win over Mike De La Torre in 2014. He would go on a long win streak en route to the title shot against Holloway.
Volkanovski brought it up during their heated faceoff at the end of the press conference.
Volkanovski: I didn't know about you popping. That shit don't sit well with me. You don't deserve to be here. Mate, you're a fucking drug cheat. #UFC266pic.twitter.com/EYuSay4E8k
Volkanovski poignantly pointed out that Ortega ‘doesn’t deserve to be here’ after finding out about his past transgressions when it comes to drug testing. Ortega hasn’t tested positive for any performance enhancers since the fight in 2014 but continues to carry a bad reputation for the incident.
Volkanovski has been on fire since transitioning from rugby to MMA in his native Australia. He put on dominant performances against former title challengers Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes en route to earning the belt over Holloway.
The two originally had a respectful relationship just days after the fight was originally planned for UFC 260, but that has appeared to have fizzled out over time. The featherweight title between Volkanovski and Ortega promises fireworks on a stacked card at UFC 266.
What is your reaction to the heated Alexander Volkanovski vs. Brian Ortega press conference faceoff?
Former UFC welterweight title challenger Nick Diaz is just days away from his highly-anticipated return to the octagon at UFC 266, and the moment felt that much more real as he faced off with Robbie Lawler at the pre-fight press conference. Diaz returns to the octagon after six years away from the sport, undergoing multiple […]
Former UFC welterweight title challenger Nick Diaz is just days away from his highly-anticipated return to the octagon at UFC 266, and the moment felt that much more real as he faced off with Robbie Lawler at the pre-fight press conference.
Diaz returns to the octagon after six years away from the sport, undergoing multiple suspensions stemming from a positive drug test following his last fight against Anderson Silva. He lost by unanimous decision but the result was overturned after Silva also tested positive for PEDs.
Diaz faces Lawler in a rematch of their first fight 17 years ago, and fans were excited to see the two UFC legends come face-to-face ahead of their matchup.
In their first matchup back in 2004, Diaz pulled off a major upset against a surging Lawler with a big knockout. He was able to survive an early barrage from Lawler to find his range on the feet and cement his name as a star in the UFC.
Nick, along with his brother Nate are two of the biggest names in MMA overall. Whenever they fight, there’s usually a huge group of fans who follow them and support them at events.
Diaz, at 38 years old, is looking to turn towards a new chapter in his UFC career and beat a quality opponent in Lawler. Since their first matchup, Lawler has earned the welterweight title and been active year after year.
Diaz vs. Lawler was originally planned to take place at welterweight before a last-second request by Diaz’s camp made the fight at middleweight. The reasoning for the last-second switch in weight hasn’t been told to the public.
There are two title fights after Diaz vs. Lawler but the fight is considered in some ways to be the ‘people’s main event’.
What is your prediction for Nick Diaz vs. Robbie Lawler 2 at UFC 266?
We are two days away from UFC 266: Volkanovski vs. Ortega, which comes to you live from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. And it’s not a UFC PPV without some MMA News staff picks, and we’ve got you well covered on that front. In the main event of the card, Alexander Volkanovski will […]
We are two days away from UFC 266: Volkanovski vs. Ortega, which comes to you live from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. And it’s not a UFC PPV without some MMA News staff picks, and we’ve got you well covered on that front.
In the main event of the card, Alexander Volkanovski will defend his featherweight championship against Brian Ortega. After months of tension between the two developed on The Ultimate Fighter, both competitors will look to stake their claim as the world’s best featherweight within the five rounds they are allotted.
The co-main event will feature another world title fight when the seemingly unstoppable Valentina Shevchenko looks to make another effortless defense of her flyweight strap. Lauren Murphy will obviously look to spoil the expectations of the champion as well as all those counting her out.
And who can forget the return of Nick Diaz after a six-year absence? Diaz will attempt to defeat Robbie Lawler for the second time in his career in what will be a special five-round attraction bout.
You can check out the full UFC 266 main card below!
UFC 266: Volkanovski vs. Ortaga Main Card
UFC Featherweight Championship Bout: Alexander Volkanovski (c) vs. Brain Ortega
UFC Flyweight Championship Bout: Valentina Shevchenko (c) vs. Lauren Murphy
Five-Round Feature Bout: Nick Diaz vs. Robbie Lawler
Curtis Blaydes vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
Jéssica Andrade vs. Cynthia Calvillo
UFC 266: Volkanovski vs. Ortega Staff Predictions
MMA News is the place to be for all the latest UFC 266 updates. Staff members Andrew Ravens, Ed Carbajal, Doug Murray, and Harvey Leonard have provided predictions for the card, which you can find below.
Jéssica Andrade vs. Cynthia Calvillo
Cynthia Calvillo, Jessica Andrade
Andrew Ravens: Both fighters are top tier, and this should be a close matchup. I’m interested in seeing how Andrade bounces back after dropping her previous fight to Valentina Shevchenko. Calvillo is no easy task, but I think the fire inside of Andrade will lead her to a decision win. (Prediction: Jéssica Andrade)
Ed Carbajal: This matchup is a good opener for the pay-per-view since both women possess the skills to end the fight early. However, Andrade seems to have a significant power advantage in this one, and if Calvillo risks grappling with her or even trading strikes, it’s hard not to see Andrade coming out on top. (Prediction: Jéssica Andrade)
Doug Murray: This might be the toughest fight on the main card to call. Both are coming off losses, but Andrade is coming off a brutal defeat to Shevchenko. While Calvillo has looked solid in the new weight class, I believe she has a long way to go before catching up to Andrade’s striking. I anticipate her looking uncomfortable during heated exchanges, and see Andrade running away with the fight. Calvillo is sturdy, and I think she makes it to the judge’s scorecards. (Prediction: Jéssica Andrade)
Harvey Leonard: This should be an interesting bout to open the main card. Calvillo is extremely talented on the mat, but she’s had a tendency to stand and strike with opposition more than she needs to. That’s not a mistake she can make against a hard hitter like Andrade. With a likely higher volume, as well as a power advantage, the Brazilian will be happy to keep the fight on the feet and in the clinch.
Calvillo’s road to victory will involve dragging the fight to the ground. But whether it’s because Calvillo doesn’t fight to her strengths or because she’s not allowed to by Andrade, I think the former strawweight champ gets it done. (Prediction: Jéssica Andrade)
Consensus: 4-0 Andrade
Curtis Blaydes vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
Curtis Blaydes, Jairzinho Rozenstruik
Andrew Ravens: A very close fight and an intriguing one of who can implement their game plan on the other. I think Blaydes is such a great wrestler and will be able to hold down Rozenstruik en route to yet another lackluster but effective decision win. (Prediction: Curtis Blaydes)
Ed Carbajal: Folks might not see it, but this is a striker versus grappler match. Blaydes likely has the edge in wrestling and Rozenstruik in striking. One has to nullify the other, unless someone goes off script like Neiman Gracie did at Bellator 266. Something tells me Rozenstruik will fire off something that could end this early. (Prediction: Jairzinho Rozenstruik)
Doug Murray: This is a big chance for Blaydes to get back into the running at heavyweight. After suffering a setback to the former title challenger Derrick Lewis, the heavyweight’s four-fight win streak since 2019 shattered. This looks like a classic grappler vs. striker matchup. The timidity Rozenstruick showed in his fight in Feb. against Ciryl Gane is enough reason for me to stay away from picking him. The workman-like style of Blaydes is more reliable in terms of showing up to the big nights. (Prediction: Curtis Blaydes)
Harvey Leonard: I hope I’m wrong, but I sense a Blaydes vs. Volkov 2.0 on Saturday night. With any luck, the atmosphere and the stage of a sold-out T-Mobile Arena will prevent that from happening. But given the devastating fashion in which he lost to Derrick Lewis last time out, I’m not sure Blaydes will mind 15 minutes of control and a comfortable decision. If Rozenstruik connects clean, it’s over. But will Blaydes change levels as carelessly as he did last time out and get caught? I don’t think so. (Prediction: Curtis Blaydes)
Consensus: 3-1 Blaydes
Nick Diaz vs. Robbie Lawler
Nick Diaz, Robbie Lawler
Andrew Ravens: A perfect fight for Diaz to make his return as Lawler is an aging gunfighter who has lost his last four fights. However, I think this is a pick-’em. Lawler has been more active while Diaz hasn’t fought in 2015. I have Lawler edging out Diaz via unanimous decision. (Prediction: Robbie Lawler)
Ed Carbajal: Whether it be middleweight or welterweight, do we honestly care? These two men have been revered by MMA fans longer than the UFC has been popular to casuals. Although time has passed, neither Lawler nor Diaz are the same since their first bout in 2004. Time off could either help or hinder Diaz, Lawler could be carrying wear and tear into this fight. Oddsmakers have them at even money at the time of writing this so, flip a coin. (Prediction: Robbie Lawler (via TKO due to cuts)
Doug Murray: A rematch seventeen years in the making. This fight could easily sell as a PPV headliner. The last time I remember seeing vintage “Ruthless” show up was against Ben Askren, though he admits this fight got him motivated. I think the time off will favor Nick Diaz, and not taking damage while Lawler has will only benefit the cult favorite. I don’t see him scoring the knockout, but playing it smart in a five-round stand-up fight seems realistic. And it’s not as if Lawler will be shooting in for takedowns. (Prediction: Nick Diaz)
Harvey Leonard: I see this being a slower and older version of Leon Edwards’ victory over Nate Diaz at UFC 263. Even with Lawler’s current losing streak, I can’t pick against someone facing a Nick Diaz who’s been out of action since 2015, hasn’t won since 2011, and has forced a late weight class change. Across five rounds, I expect we’ll see “Ruthless” outstrike Diaz, while the Stockton native maintains his reputation in defeat by bringing back the entertainment that made him a fan favorite. (Prediction: Robbie Lawler)
Consensus: 3-1 Lawler
Valentina Shevchenko vs. Lauren Murphy
Lauren Murphy (Image: Louis Grasse/PxImages/Icon Sportswire), Valentina Shevchenko (Image: Alex Menendez/Getty Images)
Andrew Ravens: Shevchenko will win this fight and do it with ease. Somehow, though, she will make it memorable like she always does. Props to Murphy for the winning streak to get to this point, but I find it hard to think anyone gives her a real chance. Shevchenko gets it done with a TKO win. (Prediction: Valentina Shevchenko)
Ed Carbajal: Murphy’s rise to this moment has been something that has been fun to watch. From being bullied by Eddie Alvarez on The Ultimate Fighter, she fought her way up to this moment at UFC 266. It would be really great if she won, I kind of hope she does, but Shevchenko has been so dominant as champion, it does not seem she will be toppled anytime soon. (Prediction: Valentina Shevchenko)
Doug Murray: The first title fight on the PPV and Shevchenko will be looking for her sixth title defense. She has held the belt since Dec. of 2018 and I don’t see that changing. “The Bullet” continues to make vast improvements each fight out. It is beginning to become difficult to decipher which offensive route she will take. Nonetheless, her ability to adapt in live situations will earn her the dominant victory against an opponent five years her elder in Murphy. Murphy is on a solid five-fight winning streak, but the speed and intensity of Shevchenko is a difficult puzzle to prepare for. (Prediction: Valentina Shevchenko)
Harvey Leonard: No fighter should ever be written off completely. However, if there was ever a fight I’d bet my house, car, and prized possessions on, it’s probably this one. Shevchenko’s dominance at flyweight has been as brutal as it’s been impressive. It’s hard to see what Murphy will bring that “Bullet” won’t be ready to deal with swiftly and destructively. The challenger is well-rounded and solid across the board, but Shevchenko is well-rounded and immaculate across the board. (Prediction: Valentina Shevchenko)
Consensus: 4-0 Shevchenko
Alexander Volkanovski vs. Brain Ortega
Alexander Volkanovski, Brian Ortega
Andrew Ravens: We’ve waited long enough to see this fight play out, and now it’s time. I find it hard to pick against Volkanovski in nearly any fight thinkable right now as he is truly in his prime. Ortega brings an intriguing challenge that will keep it close. However, I see Volkanovski pulling away down the stretch and walking away with the decision win. (Prediction: Alexander Volkanovski)
Ed Carbajal: The build-up to this match, I suppose, was their coaching stint on The Ultimate Fighter. None of that will play into what happens in this fight. It’s hard to call, like many matches on this card. Ortega’s submissions could surprise Volkanovski in the early rounds, but if the fight goes longer, Volkanovski will likely dish out more damage. I see this going the distance. (Prediction: Alexander Volkanovski)
Doug Murray: The two coaches finally meet, and Vokanovski faces a different opponent after fighting/preparing for Max Holloway twice in a two-year timespan. The time away from the cage is a reason to pause, but Volkanovski’s skill inside the pocket has shown itself in his previous fights. “The Great” has only lost once, and it came by decision in 2013. If the champ was able to handle coronavirus restrictions a year ago, I trust he will come adequately prepared this weekend. However, after he admitted to coughing up blood and being hospitalized with COVID-19, I’ll be on the edge of my seat. (Prediction: Alexander Volkanovski)
Harvey Leonard: As many people have said, picking Volkanovski for this one would be a lot easier had we not seen Ortega’s performance against The Korean Zombie last year. His striking looked like it had progressed massively, and we know how talented he is on the ground. However, against Volkanovski’s relentless pace, power, and volume, I think the fight will run away from “T-City” as he slows in the later rounds. There’s a chance Ortega gets the better of the opening frames and utilizes his jiu-jitsu. But I can’t see him getting the finish. From there, I believe the Australian will grind out a decision like he did twice against Max Holloway. (Prediction: Alexander Volkanovski)
UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and top contender Brian Ortega have had their fair share of bad blood leading up to their UFC 266 main event, and things turn a more serious turn after Volkanovski brought up Ortega’s past PED use during their faceoff at the pre-fight press conference. Volkanovski is set to make his […]
Former UFC welterweight title challenger Nick Diaz is just days away from his highly-anticipated return to the octagon at UFC 266, and the moment felt that much more real as he faced off with Robbie Lawler at the pre-fight press conference. Diaz returns to the octagon after six years away from the sport, undergoing multiple […]
