Tag: UFC News

Off the back of his UFC 311 victory last weekend, Islam Makhachev has identified soon-to-return former interim titleholder, Justin Gaethje as an ideal opponent for him next — urging the former to return to winning ways at UFC 313 in March to secure himself a summer title shot.

Islam Makhachev, the current undisputed lightweight champion and pound-for-pound number one under the banner of the promotion, returned to action last weekend in the main event of UFC 311.

Meeting with Brasilia favorite, Renato Moicano on just a day’s notice after the withdrawal from slated opponent, Arman Tsarukyan, Russian star, Islam Makhachev stopped the former with a first round D’Arce choke submission win at the Intuit Dome in California.

Justin Gaethje offered summer title fight by Islam Makhachev

And linked with a title rematch against either the above-mentioned, Tsarukyan or former champion, Charles Oliveira, Islam Makahchev shut down a title clash with both next, instead offering Gaethje a shot at his throne should be beat Dan Hooker over five rounds at UFC 313 in two months’ time.

“I like this idea because I haven’t fought Justin (Gaethje) yet… I’ve already fought [Oliveira and Tsarukyan], and preparing for the same opponent is not such a big motivation,” Islam Makhachev told Ushatayka during a recent interview. “But if Gaethje shows himself well in the next fight, we can meet.”

Islam Makhachev expresses interest in a fight against Justin Gaethje, and is targeting a return in July

"I like this idea because I haven't fought Justin yet… I've already fought [Oliveira and Arman], and preparing for the same opponent is not such a big motivation.

But if… pic.twitter.com/Eurpehs6yA

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) January 26, 2025

Himself sidelined since he featured on the main card of UFC 300 last year, Arizona striker, Gaethje most recently dropped the symbolic BMF championship in a stunning fifth round buzzer-beating knockout loss to former featherweight gold holder, Max Holloway in Las Vegas.

Booked to co-headline UFC 313 in March, Gaethje will take on City Kickboxing striker, Hooker — who boldly claims he is a “dangerous” opponent for him to be facing in his return to action.

“I’m a Justin Gaethje fan, and yeah, obviously appreciate him taking this fight, obviously,” Dan Hooker told Submission Radio during a recent interview. “Like, it’s a dangerous fight for him. I respect them for I respect them for accepting this fight. When I feel like there would have been easier fights for him out there. So credit credit to him and his team.”

“He’s got some beautiful counters, some beautiful leads and yeah, I think his skill is, is often underestimated by a lot of fans, which I feel like, as is mine,” Dan Hooker explained. “Yeah, it’s it’s more. Like, I know full well that it’s two fighters that in there that are either going to win or they’re going to guard on the shield, they’re going to die trying. There’s two fighters that that step in. They’re prepared to die and have accepted that and who are at peace with that. That’s why the fans are so excited for this fight and That’s why I’m excited for this flight. So it’s it’s either win or I go out swinging. That’s that’s the two ways at this end.”

Former Cage Warriors welterweight champion, Rhys McKee is set to snap his lengthy hiatus during his second Octagon spell at UFC Vegas 105, welcoming promotional newcomer, Daniel Frunza on April 5. at the Apex facility.

McKee, a former undisputed welterweight champion during his second tenure with Cage Warriors, will feature for the first time since March of last year, where he suffered a back-and-forth split decision loss against Chidi Njokuani.

As for Frunza, the Romanian prospect enters the Octagon for the first time under the promotional banner, having landed a prior knockout win over Vadym Kutsyi on Dana White’s Contender Series back in September of last year.

Rhys McKee books return fight against Daniel Frunza at UFC Vegas 105

News of Rhys McKee’s return to action against Daniel Frunza was first reported by Eurosport reporter, Marcel Dorff on social media this evening.

Daniel Frunza makes his UFC-debut on April 5th. He takes on former Cage Warriors & BAMMA champion Rhys McKee in Las Vegas,” Dorff posted on his X account.

#UFCVegas105

Daniel Frunza makes his UFC-debut on April 5th. He takes on former Cage Warriors & BAMMA champion Rhys McKee in Las Vegas. pic.twitter.com/IjiuEIGxsv

— Marcel Dorff (@BigMarcel24) January 26, 2025

In the midst of a two-fight losing skid since his second tenure in the UFC began, McKee made his return to action following an impressive series of championship fight wins with Cage Warriors, losing a close decision loss against Ange Loosa in Paris two years ago.

During his first stint with the Dana White-led promotion, Ballymena native, McKee would suffer a debut submission loss to the unbeaten middleweight star, Khamzat Chimaev on short-notice, before a decision loss to veteran contender, Alex Morono.

Winning Cage Warriors spoils back in 2022, McKee stopped Justin Burlinson with a third round knockout, before forcing a fourth round corner stoppage TKO win over veteran British favorite, Jim Wallhead in Dublin.

9-2 as a professional, CES and LFA alum, Frunza has racked up an impressive run of five straight triumphs, capped off with his most recent victory over Kutsyi last September.

Off the back of his impressive win overnight, Jeremy Stephens has claimed long-time rival, Conor McGregor has a long way to go before he stands opposite him on in the ring next — after the Iowa native stopped common-foe, Eddie Alvarez with a third round TKO in their tense headliner at BKFC Knucklemania V overnight in Philadelphia.

Stephens, an alum of the UFC and veteran lightweight and featherweight contender, turned in his third consecutive victory in the BFKC (Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship) overnight, taking on former Bellator MMA and UFC lightweight titleholder, Alvarez in hostile territory in Pennsylvania.

Stopping the hometown favorite with an eventual third round TKO win after a corner stoppage from Alvarez’s head coach, Mark Henry, Stephens was met in the ring by long-time enemy, McGregor — with the duo going head-to-head in a bitter face-off there and then.

Jeremy Stephens offers to fight Conor McGregor in trip to Ireland

And during the build-up to his showdown with Alvarez, former UFC knockout artist, Stephens claimed he would love the chance to knock out his “boss” in a future fight with McGregor, however, claimed both the Dubliner and BKFC boss, David Feldman were hoping for his demise overnight.

“‘Ole’ cocaine Conor (McGregor),” Jeremy Stephens said of the former UFC champion during his post-fight press conference. “He’s got a long path, bro. It’s all good promotion. I love it. I loved to come in there, get right in his face, and have him doubt me. I felt like him and (David) Feldman were against me. Everyone was against me.”

“Butt cheeks McGregor,” Jeremy Stephens explained. “That’s the one. That’s the money fight, bro…. When it comes down to bareknuckle, no one is beating me. A lot of people say that, but no one is beating me in the game, and I would love a shot to prove it,” Stephens concluded. “I’ll go to Ireland … I’ll make him quit.”

Undisputed middleweight champion, Dricus du Plessis has cautioned his fellow champion and current lightweight kingpin, Islam Makhachev against a rumored move to 185lbs to face off with him — claiming a fight between the duo right now makes very little sense.

du Plessis, the current undisputed middleweight gold holder, is slated to make his return to action at UFC 312 next month, taking on former-foe and ex-titleholder, Sean Strickland in a rematch of their first pairing in January of last year, with the duo travelling to Sydney to rekindle their rivalry.

Sidelined since last summer, Pretoria native, du Plessis most recently turned in an impressive title defense win over arch-rival and two-time champion, Israel Adesanya — stopping the City Kickboxing staple with a fourth round face crank submission win.

Dricus du Plessis rules out fight with Islam Makhachev soon

And off the back of his own impressive submission win over Renato Moicano at UFC 311 last weekend, the above-mentioned, Makhachev was touted as a massive threat to fighters — as high as the middleweight limit, however, du Plessis begs to differ.

“I guess, good on him (Islam Makhachev) for trying that,” Dricus du Plessis told FOX Sports Australia during a recent interview. “He won’t get that fight now – it wouldn’t make sense. But if there should ever be a time where there is nobody to challenge me, nobody for him to challenge. Yeah, cool.”

Dricus du Plessis reacts to Islam Makhachev saying he'd be willing to move up to 185 and fight him:

"I'll overpower [Islam] in any situation. I know he walks around heavy, but I walk around heavy. He's a big lightweight, I'm a big middleweight. There's a big difference there."… pic.twitter.com/y3MlZUKG66

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) January 24, 2025

“Look, he trains with 185ers in his gym,” Dricus du Plessis continued. “But there is only one world champion. So kudos to him for saying what he did, but it doesn’t really matter because I’ll overpower him in any situation. I know he walks around heavy. But I walk around heavy. He’s a big lightweight, I’m a big middleweight. There’s a big difference there.”

Former undisputed UFC lightweight champion, Charles Oliveira has claimed he was “disrespected” by the promotion after his infamous scale mishap ahead of a slated title defense against Justin Gaethje back in 2022 — which saw him stripped of the crown.

Oliveira, the current number two ranked lightweight contender, most recently returned to winning-ways at UFC 309 back in November at Madison Square Garden, landing an impressive unanimous decision win over two-fight rival, Michael Chandler.

And linked heavily in recent weeks with a title rematch with Islam Makhachev following UFC 311, Oliveira also suggested he would take on former featherweight champion and past-foe, Max Holloway in a symbolic BMF title rematch — potentially as soon as International Fight Week.

Charles Oliveira claims he was “disrespected” by UFC before Justin Gaethje fight

However, during a recent appearance on the JAXXON Podcast, Sao Paulo finisher, Oliveira reflected on his UFC 274 title fight with former interim titleholder, Gaethje — in which he was stopped of the crown prior to the event after tipping the scales by .5 pounds after an issue with calibration of the equipment.

“What the UFC did was straight-up disrespectful;” Charles Oliveira explained. I always check my weight on Thursday, the night before. So, I already had the confidence… But I was already hearing rumors around… That the scale was calibrated. I was confident when I came back to the hotel, and I was 0.8lbs over… It felt like an awkward situation, and I felt disrespected because they took the weigh-in the night before when they were messing with the scale.”

“They should let me know; I felt disrespected by them not doing it,” Charles Oliveira said. “So, when they said that I had to lose that [weight], I came back to the hotel room and started doing what I needed to do to get some sweat off.”

Headlining the event, Oliveira would turn in a first round win over Gaethje, submitting the Arizona striker with a dominant rear-naked choke win, after dropping the title challenger on numerous occasions in the first frame.