Tag: UFC 304

Curtis Blaydes Dismisses Notion He’s Planning To Target Knee Tom Aspinall Injured: ‘I Can’t Even Tell You Which One It Is’

UFC heavyweight contender Curtis Blaydes plans to defeat Tom Aspinall without the aid of a severe injury second time around. Blaydes is back in enemy territory this week to run it back with Aspinall in competition for his interim title in the co-main event of UFC 304, set for the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, […]

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UFC heavyweight contender Curtis Blaydes plans to defeat Tom Aspinall without the aid of a severe injury second time around.

Blaydes is back in enemy territory this week to run it back with Aspinall in competition for his interim title in the co-main event of UFC 304, set for the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England, on Saturday night.

The pair previously shared the cage in the country’s capital two years ago, headlining a UFC Fight Night at The O2. On that night, Aspinall had his previously perfect UFC record blemished courtesy of a freak injury just 15 seconds into the very first round.

In that regard, Blaydes is hoping that lightening doesn’t strike twice…

Blaydes Doesn’t Want Help From An Injury At UFC 304: ‘That Stains The Win’

During a recent interview with CBS Sports’ Shakiel Mahjouri, Blaydes looked ahead to his second dance with Aspinall and first chance to capture gold on MMA’s biggest stage.

While many would perhaps be inclined to put additional focus on the limb that gave way 15 seconds into their first fight, Blaydes dismissed any suggestion that he’ll employ such a strategy in Manchester.

“I mean, not unless it’s something I can immediate target or there’s a read, I see him with a limp,” Blaydes said. “But that’s not like, the gameplan, ‘Oh, attack his lead leg.’ I’ll be honest, I can’t even tell you which one (leg) it is, off the dome. No, that’s not part of the gameplan.

“I don’t want to win by an injury. That stains the win. You can’t really brag about a win when the guy got injured,” Blaydes continued. “if it happens, it happens. I’ll take the belt. But it’s not the plan.”

With that said, Blaydes will be looking to have his hand raised at the expense of Aspinall thanks to his arsenal of weapons inside of the Octagon.

While that’s conventionally been his smothering wrestling game, the likes of Chris Daukaus and most recently Jailton Almeida have felt the full force of “Razor’s” striking power.

Continue Reading Curtis Blaydes Dismisses Notion He’s Planning To Target Knee Tom Aspinall Injured: ‘I Can’t Even Tell You Which One It Is’ at MMA News.

‘Smart decision’ Curtis Blaydes says Jon Jones is avoiding him

'Smart decision' Curtis Blaydes says Jon Jones is avoiding himWith business to attend to this weekend in the form of an interim heavyweight title fight, Curtis Blaydes has…

'Smart decision' Curtis Blaydes says Jon Jones is avoiding him

With business to attend to this weekend in the form of an interim heavyweight title fight, Curtis Blaydes has still claimed it’s likely a “smart decision” for champion, Jon Jones to avoid a bout with him ahead of his UFC 304 return. 

Blaydes, a perennial heavyweight contender, features in a title fight – albeit interim, for the first time in his lengthy promotional tenure this weekend, co-headlining UFC 304.

Curtis Blaydes UFC 299

Taking on former-foe, Tom Aspinall in a trip to enemy territory in Manchester, Blaydes looks to snatch the interim crown in another upset win – after a debilitating knee injury forced a TKO win in favor of the latter back in July 2022 in their London main event fight.

And last time out, Blaydes turned back the surge of Brazilian contender, Jailton Almeida with a stunning series of elbows at the Octagon fence whilst fending off a takedown, handing the Dana White’s Contender Series product his first UFC defeat. 

Curtis Blaydes scores stunning win over 15-fight win streak Jailton Almeida with TKO at UFC 299 Highlights
Mandatory Credit: Chris Unger – Zuffa LLC

Curtis Blaydes quips Jon Jones is clever to avoid fight with him

Hoping to position himself to a future fight with fellow veteran, Jones with a huge upset win over Atherton favorite, Aspinall this weekend, Curtis Blaydes has claimed that while the Rochester native has a UFC 309 return of his own lined up for Madison Square Garden in November against Stipe Miocic, it’s likely clever for him to avoid a showdown.

jones ufc

“I wasn’t surprised (that Gane vs. Jones was booked for UFC 285),” Curtis Blaydes told ESPN MMA. “I’ve been with the UFC for eight years now. Like, I get it,” Blaydes said. “Marketing. He’s French, which means he brings in all the fans over there. He has an aesthetically pleasing style. A lot of people don’t like wrestling, so I get that. He does all the fancy karate stance and all that. It’s easy to market his highlights versus the highlights that I have.

“Also, I think they asked Jon and were probably like, ‘Jon, do you wanna go against this guy who doesn’t know how to wrestle? Or this guy, who knows how to wrestle?’ I think he did the business, smart decision,” Blaydes continued. “I am a harder fight for him than Gane; I think a lot of guys are a harder fight for him than Gane.”

Over the course of his Octagon tenure, Illinois native has turned in eye-catching wins over the likes of Mark Hunt, Alistair Overeem, Junior dos Santos, Alexander Volkov, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, as well as the above-mentioned Aspinall and Almeida.

Who would you pick to win in a future matchup: Curtis Blaydes or Jon Jones?

Exclusive | Paddy Pimblett ‘Love to fight Colby Covington because he’s a little piece of sh*t’ picks his next target

Paddy Pimblett vs. Colby Covington UFC 304The Baddy’ Paddy Pimblett has selected the outspoken Colby Covington as his next opponent after UFC 304. The English-born…

Paddy Pimblett vs. Colby Covington UFC 304

The Baddy’ Paddy Pimblett has selected the outspoken Colby Covington as his next opponent after UFC 304. The English-born athlete did not mince words when it came to the American ‘Choas’ Covington, a three-time title contender.

Paddy Pimblett vs. Colby Covington

‘Chaos’ Colby Covington is a figure who tries to stir up controversy with his words. A staunch supporter of Donald Trump and the MAGA ideals. In the UFC, he has unsuccessfully tried for gold in three bouts, most recently coming off a one-sided loss to Leon Edwards. The most recent win for Covington was a 2022 decision over Jorge Masvidal.

The Englishman Paddy Pimblett had a successful MMA career in Cage Warriors before signing with the UFC. Since then, the 29-year-old has earned five consecutive wins. At UFC 304, he will be looking to break into the top 15 rankings with a win over Bobby King Green. In his most recent bout, ‘The Baddy’ successfully defeated Tony Ferguson. Most notably, Paddy Pimblett is a popular fighter among fans of MMA.

Speaking to Tim Wheaton in an exclusive interview with LowKick MMA, interview conducted on behalf of AceOdds, the Pimblett explained:

“I’ll fight anyone. I was talking about this the other day. I’d love to fight Colby. Colby, he’s at welterweight but he’s not a big welterweight, and I’m a big lightweight. I’d love to fight Colby Covington because he’s a little piece of sh*t. What he said about Leon’s dad that time was disgusting. I’d fucking love to punch that little prick’s head in.”

Paddy Pimblett and Nate Diaz

Stockton’s Nate Diaz was a fan favorite and popular fighter while he was competing in the UFC. Since leaving the organization he has taken up boxing and had blockbuster matches against the likes of Jorge Masvidal and Jake Paul. Pimblett has hinted that free agency may be on the horizon for him.

For a potential match against Nate Diaz, Pimblett said:

“Yeah, if Nate Diaz wants to fight me I wouldn’t say no. If anyone wants to fight me, I wouldn’t say no. We’re fighters. I hate it when people say, oh he’s scared to fight him. Even though I don’t like Ilia, I haven’t said he’s scared to fight Max. I’ve said he doesn’t want to sign the contract, but I haven’t said he’s scared. We’re fighters, we’re not scared, otherwise we wouldn’t get in the cage and fight.”

“Diaz is a quality fighter, but he’s a lot older now. So I’d probably use my speed advantage over him. He’s a great boxer, so I’d try and kick a lot. And he’s got world-class jiu-jitsu. He’s been took down and held down by people before and as you know, Tony Ferguson’s got world-class jiu-jitsu and I took him down and grapple fucked him and he didn’t stand a chance. So I think I’ll probably do the same to Nate. But, I really liked Nate Diaz as well.”

Despite being a fan of Diaz, Pimblett would expect a war of words ahead of their potential showdown, he added:

“I was saying that I liked Tony Ferguson before he started chatting shit at the press conference. I was always a Tony Ferguson fan and a Nate Diaz fan, but I’m sure he’s tried to shit on me in the past as well. If it comes down to fighting them, it will get put on them.”

Paddy Pimblett UFC 304

But before he can meet Colby Covington or Nate Diaz, Paddy Pimblett will have his hands full against the slick striker Bobby King Green at UFC 304. This match is booked for July 27 live from Machester, England.

Belal Muhammad Ranks Leon Edwards As Fourth-Best Welterweight In The UFC Right Now

UFC welterweight contender Belal Muhammad doesn’t believe he’s fighting for the title against the division’s best this weekend. Muhammad’s long-awaited chance to reach the mountaintop on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage is now just days away, with the 36-year-old set to challenge for Leon Edwards’ gold in the main event of UFC 304. The pay-per-view […]

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UFC welterweight contender Belal Muhammad doesn’t believe he’s fighting for the title against the division’s best this weekend.

Muhammad’s long-awaited chance to reach the mountaintop on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage is now just days away, with the 36-year-old set to challenge for Leon Edwards’ gold in the main event of UFC 304.

The pay-per-view card will be staged inside the Co-op Live in Manchester, England, this Saturday night, with Edwards and Muhammad’s second dance set to follow another title rematch between interim heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall and Curtis Blaydes.

“Remember the Name” will make the walk through a hostile crowd as the underdog on July 27, tasked with achieving a feat that both Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington have failed to since “Rocky’s” 2022 crowning.

But Muhammad has unwavering confidence when it comes to upsetting the odds. And to do so, the challenger doesn’t think he even needs to beat a top-three welterweight in the UFC…

Muhammad Puts Himself, Usman, Rakhmonov Above UFC 304 Opponent Edwards

During a recent interview with Kaz Crossley for Title Sports Network, Muhammad looked ahead to his first title opportunity in enemy territory this weekend and assessed the man looking to stall his championship ambitions.

When asked to rank his current top five in the welterweight division, Muhammad put Edwards all the way down at fourth, below a man the champ has beaten consecutively in recent years, ex-titleholder Usman.

“I would be one. Then I would put Kamaru two, Shavkat (Rakhmonov) three. I would put Leon four. And then number five, I would put Jack Della (Maddalena),” Muhammad said. “Man, you’re gonna lose the last couple fans you have left once I take the belt away from you. sorry bro. … I don’t like Leon. My other opponents, I didn’t wanna fake it (trash talk) with like, a ‘Wonderboy’ or a Maia. … It’s easier to bully him (Edwards).”

Muhammad will look to prove his claim to superiority over Edwards come fight night in Manchester this weekend and secure the division’s top spot in the process.

Should he accomplish that feat, all signs point toward a first defense against the undefeated Rakhmonov. And given Muhammad’s rankings, he’d no doubt be confident of a successful title retention.

Continue Reading Belal Muhammad Ranks Leon Edwards As Fourth-Best Welterweight In The UFC Right Now at MMA News.

‘Probably his toughest test’ Leon Edwards predicts Paddy Pimblett vs. King Green

'Probably his toughest test' Leon Edwards predicts Paddy Pimblett vs King GreenHeadlining UFC 304 this weekend after a lightweight scrap between compatriot, Paddy Pimblett and veteran striker, King Green –…

'Probably his toughest test' Leon Edwards predicts Paddy Pimblett vs King Green

Headlining UFC 304 this weekend after a lightweight scrap between compatriot, Paddy Pimblett and veteran striker, King Green – incumbent welterweight kingpin, Leon Edwards candidly admits the Liverpool native is in for his “toughest” fight yet inside the Octagon. 

Returning to take headlining status on the promotion’s anticipated comeback to Manchester, undisputed welterweight champion, Edwards takes on Belal Muhammad in his own title fight rematch – attempting to rack up successful championship defense number three.

Paddy Pimblett laughs off threat of Bobby Green ahead of UFC 304 his chin is gone

However, earlier on the night’s main card, so far promotional-perfect contender, Pimblett returns in a high-profile fight with the above-mentioned, Green, in a bid to extend his unbeaten Octagon tenure to six straight fights.

And closing as a betting underdog to topple San Bernardino striker, Green over the course of three rounds at UFC 304, Pimblett has been predicted to come unstuck against the boxing star, according to former featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski.

Paddy Pimblett manager defends him he's a f*cking kid UFC
Mandatory Credit: Zuffa LLC

Leon Edwards admits Paddy Pimblett in for “tough” clash with King Green

Furthermore, while British countryman, Edwards has reserved such predictions of a potential “hurting” loss for Paddy Pimblett, he candidly admitted that his matchup with Green will come as his biggest challenge to date.

'Unreal' fans react to Paddy Pimblett's dramatic body transformation ahead of UFC 304

“That’s a good one,” Leon Edwards said during an interview with talkSPORT, pondering more than his previous predictions. “I’ll go, Paddy (Pimblett). I’ll go all-British through here. I’ll go Paddy but I feel like Bobby’s a dangerous fight for him. Probably his toughest test.”

Receiving props earlier this week despite Volkanovski’s assessment of his chances, Pimblett appears to have shredded down some significant weight ahead of his trip to the scales to hit 155lbs pounds – in yet another leap from a heavy frame to a svelt physique. 

UFC 304 takes place this weekend from the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, England, with an undisputed welterweight title fight between Leon Edwards and Belal Muhammad slated to take main event honors. In the night’s co-headliner, Tom Aspinall defends his interim heavyweight gold in a rematch with Curtis Blaydes. 

Who wins this weekend at UFC 304: Paddy Pimblett or King Green?

Daniel Cormier Believes Leon Edwards & Belal Muhammad Are Underestimating Each Other Ahead Of UFC 304: ‘Both Of These Guys Are Much Better…’

Daniel Cormier recently remarked that Leon Edwards and Belal Muhammad’s assertions of downplaying each other’s abilities ahead of their rematch at UFC 304 are far more than mere wordplay. Edwards is set to put his title on the line against Muhammad in the main event of the upcoming UFC pay-per-view this Saturday in front of […]

Continue Reading Daniel Cormier Believes Leon Edwards & Belal Muhammad Are Underestimating Each Other Ahead Of UFC 304: ‘Both Of These Guys Are Much Better…’ at MMA News.

Daniel Cormier recently remarked that Leon Edwards and Belal Muhammad’s assertions of downplaying each other’s abilities ahead of their rematch at UFC 304 are far more than mere wordplay.

Edwards is set to put his title on the line against Muhammad in the main event of the upcoming UFC pay-per-view this Saturday in front of his hometown crowd at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England.

The two fighters first collided in a short-notice bout during the main event of UFC Fight Night in March 2021. Regrettably, an accidental eye poke in the second round compelled “Remember the Name” to bow out, resulting in the bout being ruled a no-contest.

Since their rematch was announced this past May, both rivals have been relentlessly downplaying each other’s abilities through trash talk in interviews and social media posts. Muhammad, in particular, has gone so far as to label Edwards as the “easiest” opponent he could face in the division.

While the animosity between Edwards and Muhammad is palpable, the former UFC two-division champion believes their trash talk is merely a tactic to rile each other up and hype the fight…

Cormier Dismisses Edwards and Muhammad’s Verbal Jabs As ‘Gamesmanship’

During a recent appearance on the Anik & Florian Podcast, “DC” observed that both Edwards and Muhammad seem to be underestimating each other, each believing that their opponent hasn’t improved since their first fight three years ago.

“I think we’re in a situation where both of these guys are looking at the other, going, ‘Well, he ain’t what he’s supposed to be,’” Cormier said. “When I hear Leon Edwards talk about the competition, it feels like ‘Rocky’ expects the Belal that he kicked in the head in round one of the first fight, and then he was kind of beating, but it’s not the same Belal Muhammad.

“But I know Belal Muhammad needs to recognize that it’s not the same Leon Edwards. We saw Leon Edwards change from fight one to fight two against Kamaru Usman.”

The UFC Hall of Famer noted that both fighters are deliberately making provocative remarks to get under each other’s skin and boost their own confidence ahead of their upcoming clash.

“I truly believe that it is all gamesmanship. We’re getting to the point where the gamesmanship starts to show, where you insult the guy to make yourself feel more confident going into the competition.”

Following their initial bout, “Rocky” earned a title shot by defeating Nate Diaz at UFC 263 and ultimately dethroned Kamaru Usman to claim the welterweight gold at UFC 278 in August 2022.

Meanwhile, Muhammad had to embark on a five-fight winning streak to finally secure his first UFC title opportunity. Only time will reveal how much both fighters have evolved to counter each other’s game plans.

Continue Reading Daniel Cormier Believes Leon Edwards & Belal Muhammad Are Underestimating Each Other Ahead Of UFC 304: ‘Both Of These Guys Are Much Better…’ at MMA News.