Tag: UFC 285

Khamzat Chimaev eyes March return at UFC 285, claims ‘Nobody wants to fight’

Khamzat ChimaevUndefeated UFC welterweight contender, Khamzat Chimaev appears to be searching for his next opponent – fruitlessly, however, as he eyes a return to active competition at UFC 285 next March in Las Vegas, Nevada. Improving to 12-0 back in September of this year, AllStars MMA staple, Chimaev turned in a dominant first round D’Arce choke […]

Khamzat Chimaev

Undefeated UFC welterweight contender, Khamzat Chimaev appears to be searching for his next opponent – fruitlessly, however, as he eyes a return to active competition at UFC 285 next March in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Improving to 12-0 back in September of this year, AllStars MMA staple, Chimaev turned in a dominant first round D’Arce choke win over recent UFC Orlando headliner, Kevin Holland.

Chimaev was initially scheduled to fight Nate Diaz in the UFC 279 headliner, however, missed the welterweight non-title weight limit by a whopping seven and a half pounds, forcing a catchweight fight with Riverside striker, Holland.

Khamzat Chimaev mentions a potential future fight with middleweight king, Alex Pereira

Currently sitting at #3 in the official welterweight rankings, and likely a single win away from his first title siege under the banner of the UFC, Chechen-born finisher, Chimaev claimed he is unable to find a willing opponent to fight him at UFC 285 next March. 

“It doesn’t matter [if it’s 170 or 185], just need some opponent,” Khamzat Chimaev said during a video blog recently. “I’m tired to do it, the trash-talking. This is not my game. I am the next for the title, so – who are these guys gonna fight?”

“Alex Pereira, he has 6-1 record, he’s lost,” Khamzat Chimaev continued. “I’ve never lost in my life. And he lost to a sh*t guy – the guy isn’t in the UFC as well. UFC doesn’t want it, the guy don’t want it. What am I gonna do? I just wanna fight, give me somebody. If the guys run away from me, just give me somebody.” (Transcribed by MMA Mania) 

During his two-year Octagon tenure, Chimaev has managed to land an impressive 6-0 record, defeating John Philips, Rhys McKee, Gerald Meerschaert, Li Jingliang, one-time welterweight title challenger, Gilbert Burns, and the above-mentioned, Holland. From 12 professional wins to boot, Chimaev holds six knockout victories and a further five submission stoppages.

Ex-UFC champion Cody Garbrandt trains with Ramzan Kadyrov’s son at AllStars MMA in Sweden

Cody GarbrandtFormer undisputed UFC bantamweight champion, Cody Garbrandt, has been pictured training with Ali Kadyrov, the son of sanctioned Republic of Checnya leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, as the former prepares for his return to the Octagon next March. Garbrandt, 31, a former undisputed bantamweight champion under the banner of the Dana White-led, UFC, has taken his talents […]

Cody Garbrandt

Former undisputed UFC bantamweight champion, Cody Garbrandt, has been pictured training with Ali Kadyrov, the son of sanctioned Republic of Checnya leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, as the former prepares for his return to the Octagon next March.

Garbrandt, 31, a former undisputed bantamweight champion under the banner of the Dana White-led, UFC, has taken his talents to Sweden where he is currently training at AllStars MMA in the country – ahead of a return to active competition.

Suffering five losses in six of his most recent UFC walks, Ohio native, Garbrandt has yet to return to the Octagon since he dropped a first round knockout loss to recent interim flyweight title challenger, Kai Kara-France at UFC 269 back in December of last year.

This year, the former bantamweight champion has seen multiple scheduled fights with Brazilian grappling veteran, Rani Yahya fall to the wayside. And is set to make a return to active competition at UFC 285 in March of next year against Julio Arce at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

A former trainee at Team Alpha MMA where he clinched the bantamweight title during his tenure with the Sacramento outfit, Garbrandt’s latest move has seen him travel to Sweden to prepare for his fight with Arce at AllStars MMA. 

Sharing a picture with Garbrandt on his social media, Ali Kadyrov, the teenage of Ramzan Kadyrov, captioned the post “Another champion arrives at camp” – with UFC welterweight contender, Khamzat Chimaev bringing Kadyrov’s teenage sons to Sweden to train. (H/T Bloody Elbow) 

Ali Kadyrov (left), Cody Garbrandt (center), and Khamzat Chimaev (right) pictured in Dubai this month

Kadyrov, a heavily scrutinised and sanctioned leader, has been accused of multiple human rights abuses during his time as the leader of the Republic of Chechnya, as well as sanctioning abductions, torture, assassinations, extrajudicial murders, and the targeted purging of the LGBTQ+ community in the country.

Recently, UFC bantamweight contender, Sean O’Malley revealed he rejected an offer to travel to a military training complex alongside former UFC champions, Kamaru Usman, Justin Gaethje, and Henry Cejudo at the behest of Kadyrov – labelling the dictator a “murderer” and friend of Russian president, Vladimir Putin. 

Cody Garbrandt won the UFC bantamweight crown in 2016

Back in December 2016, boasting a then undefeated 10-0 professional record, Garbrandt clinched the undisputed bantamweight title against Dominick Cruz with a unanimous decision win in the co-main event of UFC 207.

Georges St-Pierre believes Jon Jones will succeed at heavyweight ahead of 2023 move: ‘He’s huge’

Jon JonesFormer undisputed UFC middleweight and welterweight champion, Georges St-Pierre believes former light heavyweight kingpin, Jon Jones will make a successful excursion at the heavyweight limit – ahead of the latter’s expected debut in the division next year. Expected to make his long-awaited Octagon move in the early months of next year, Jones, a former undisputed […]

Jon Jones

Former undisputed UFC middleweight and welterweight champion, Georges St-Pierre believes former light heavyweight kingpin, Jon Jones will make a successful excursion at the heavyweight limit – ahead of the latter’s expected debut in the division next year.

Expected to make his long-awaited Octagon move in the early months of next year, Jones, a former undisputed light heavyweight champion, has been sidelined from active competition since February 2020.

Headlining UFC 247 on that occasion, the look-see-do fighter managed to defeat Dominick Reyes with a close, unanimous decision win in Houston. Jones would then officially vacate his light heavyweight title in August of that year.

Linked with an expected Octagon return at UFC 285 on March 4. next, linked with both an undisputed title fight against champion, Francis Ngannou, and matchups opposite surging contender, Curtis Blaydes, or former interim titleholder, Ciryl Gane. 

Georges St-Pierre talks up Jon Jones’ stature ahead of his 2023 return

And according to former duel-weight champion, St-Pierre, Jones will likely find success at the heavyweight limit ahead of his expected excursion next year.

“I’ve seen it on the red carpet when I got inducted into the (UFC) Hall of Fame,” Georges St-Pierre told MMA Fighting during a recent interview. “I took a picture and I put my arm around him (Jon Jones), I was like, ‘Man, he’s solid like a rock.’ He’s huge. Jon Jones, he’s solid like a rock, he looked huge.”

“And it looked like he put the weight at the right place,” Georges St-Pierre explained. “I can’t wait. I’m a fan of Jon Jones. I like to see him fight. I can’t wait to see him come back. A lot of people are like, ‘Yeah, he was out for a long time.’ He was out for a long time, but he’s Jon Jones, you know what I mean? Don’t forget that he’s Jon Jones. He’s arguably the best fighter of all-time too. He can make a comeback and I think he’s going to be successful when he does.”

Unseen footage shows Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov picking Jon Jones to ‘destroy’ UFC heavyweight division

Jon JonesIn previously unseen footage released, the late former Sambo specialist and head coach of former UFC lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov, his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov – predicting a dominant run at the heavyweight division for former two-time light heavyweight titleholder, Jon Jones. Nurmagomedov, the former head coach of his son, former lightweight kingpin, Khabib, passed away […]

Jon Jones

In previously unseen footage released, the late former Sambo specialist and head coach of former UFC lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov, his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov – predicting a dominant run at the heavyweight division for former two-time light heavyweight titleholder, Jon Jones.

Nurmagomedov, the former head coach of his son, former lightweight kingpin, Khabib, passed away amid complications stemming from COVID-19 back in 2019, had guided the Dagestan native to a stunning undefeated professional career in the sport, sharing the corner for his UFC 242 title unification win against Dustin Poirier in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Successfully unifying the lightweight titles against former interim champion, Justin Gaethje the following year, Khabib, who had lost his father, Abdulmanap in the months leading up to his title fight with the Arizona native, called time on his career with immediate effect off the back of his win over Gaethje in the Middle East. 

Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov picked Jon Jones to dominate at heavyweight

With news of the aforenoted, Jones’ expected heavyweight division debut against either champion, Francis Ngannou, or contender, Curtis Blaydes at UFC 285 in March of next year circulating today, footage has surfaced of Abdulmanap predicting a destroyer of worlds entering the heavyweight frey in the form of Jones.

“Jon Jones has a gift of destiny, from God,” Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov said. “Not from Greg Jackson. Greg Jackson is a good striking coach, don’t get me confused, but can he grapple with me? Can he grapple with me in Gi? No. Can I strike with him? No. Everyone has their strong sides. What’s necessary is strategic training regarding the fight as a whole. It consists of seven parts.”

“…Jon Jones, we know, that he is the number one as a fighter,” Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov explained. “Maybe not judging by his behaviour outside the cage with the law and etcetera. But, I am sure he will destroy the heavyweights too. All top 5 heavyweights – maybe about only two of them you can have some doubt (about). But he can destroy anyone in the “heavies”. That’s just my opinion. To say that a particular coaching and a team developed these qualities in him? Well, no.” 

In his last Octagon outing, Jones managed to successfully defend his light heavyweight title back in February 2020 against Dominick Reyes in a close, unanimous decision win, before relinquishing the crown in August of that year.

Report – Jon Jones earmarked for UFC 285 comeback in March against either Francis Ngannou or Curtis Blaydes

Jon JonesFormer two-time undisputed UFC light heavyweight champion, Jon Jones, now appears closer than ever to an Octagon return for the first time in over two years, with reports detailing how the promotion are expecting him to feature at UFC 285 on March 5. next – weighing up fights against both champion, Francis Ngannou, or contender, […]

Jon Jones

Former two-time undisputed UFC light heavyweight champion, Jon Jones, now appears closer than ever to an Octagon return for the first time in over two years, with reports detailing how the promotion are expecting him to feature at UFC 285 on March 5. next – weighing up fights against both champion, Francis Ngannou, or contender, Curtis Blaydes.

Jones, a former two-time undisputed light heavyweight titleholder, under the UFC banner, has been sidelined since UFC 247 back in February 2020, on that occasion narrowly defeating recent feature, Dominick Reyes in a unanimous decision win in Houston, Texas.

In the time since, Jon Jones officially relinquished the light heavyweight crown in August of that year, announcing plans to make a move to the promotion’s heavyweight division.

However, in the time since, a combination of negotiation fallouts with the promotion, a Las Vegas arrest last year, and the want to complete a strict training regiment before a move has yet to see Jones compete under the UFC banner.

With a matchup against former heavyweight kingpin, Stipe Miocic rumored in recent weeks, the promotion appear to have since moved on from that projected pairing.

Jon Jones expected to make UFC return on March 5. next

According to a report from MMA Junkie reporter, Nolan King this Tuesday evening, Jones is now expected to feature at UFC 285 in March of next year – against either champion, Francis Ngannou, or surging contender, Curtis Blaydes.

“Jon Jones nears a comeback for real, as the UFC plans his return for #UFC285 one way or another, I’m told,” Nolan King tweeted. “With Stipe Miocic out of the picture, Francis Ngannou is the hope. If he’s not healthy, it could be Curtis Blaydes, per sources.”
Cameroon native, Ngannou has been sidelined himself since January of this year, defeating then-interim titleholder, Cyril Gane to unify the division titles. Ngannou has since undergone reconstructive surgery to address a knee injury.

As for Blaydes, the former Juco national champion most recently landed a TKO win over Tom Aspinall at UFC London back in July, after the latter suffered a leg injury in the opening 15 seconds of the first frame.