Tag: UFC

Carlos Prates Takes Issue With Omission From ‘Best Hands In The UFC’ List

The UFC is home to some incredible strikers who are particularly known for the boxing skills that they bring to the Octagon. Following a recent social media post, one of the promotion’s most devastating knockout artists voiced his displeasure at being left out of that category. Popular MMA social media page and clothing brand Full […]

The UFC is home to some incredible strikers who are particularly known for the boxing skills that they bring to the Octagon. Following a recent social media post, one of the promotion’s most devastating knockout artists voiced his displeasure at being left out of that category.

Popular MMA social media page and clothing brand Full Violence posted the following image on Instagram which listed Sean O’Malley, Jack Della Maddalena, José Aldo, Dustin Poirier, Ilia Topuria, Alex Pereira, Max Holloway and Petr Yan as the fighters with the best hands in the sport. One of the breakout stars of 2024 clearly believes that he should also have been highlighted based on the body of work that he has accumulated over the past 12 months.

Carlos Prates emerged as one of the most dangerous strikers in the UFC by producing four consecutive knockout wins inside the Octagon this past year. After appearing on the 2023 season of Dana White’s Contender Series, the Brazilian has announced himself as a serious threat in the welterweight division by stopping Trevin Giles, Charles Radtke, Li Jingliang and Neil Magny with his latest performance earning him a spot in the top 15 rankings.

The Fighting Nerds athlete credits his Muay Thai experience for his ferocious striking skillset which has seen him win 16 of his 21 pro fights via knockout. Whilst it surely would’ve been an honor for Prates to be listed alongside this group of fighters considering that all but one of them has been a champion at one stage in their careers, his comment in the replies to the post says it all without the need for any words.

Cain Velásquez Highlights Clear Weakness Jon Jones Can Exploit Against Tom Aspinall

Cain Velásquez will always be known as one of the best heavyweights that we have ever seen in MMA. Whilst injuries may have held him back at points, the former two-time UFC champion is one of the most well-rounded competitors in the history of his weight class. At the top of the sport right now, […]

Cain Velásquez will always be known as one of the best heavyweights that we have ever seen in MMA. Whilst injuries may have held him back at points, the former two-time UFC champion is one of the most well-rounded competitors in the history of his weight class.

At the top of the sport right now, a UFC heavyweight title fight might be the most desired contest that is out there with fans and fellow fighters still clamouring for Jon Jones to face Tom Aspinall in a unification clash. In one corner, you have the consensus greatest of all time whilst in the other, you’ve got the man that many believe is the best fighter in his weight class right now.

One of the biggest talking points surrounding this fight has been whether the Brit has the experience to beat someone like Jones who has been at the highest level for an incredible amount of time. Velásquez, however, believes that it is Aspinall’s predictability that would cost him in this potential matchup.

The interim champion is known for finishing opponents quickly with his lighting fast speed and one-punch power which makes it so difficult for opponents to deal with his timing. Velásquez recently appeared on The Ariel Helwani Show where he said that whilst Aspinall is incredibly effective at what he does, he believes that it is easy to predict meaning someone like Jones will be able to counter this inside the Octagon.

“I don’t think he [beats Jones],” Velasquez said of Aspinall. “Me just watching him, I kind of see his pattern a little bit, and his striking — the way he comes in and strikes. I think Jon sees it too. I think with that, just because, again, Jon, he studies, man. He does his homework. He’s a master at this. He analyzes things. He studies you over and over again. I think just for that reason, he’s going to know what to do. So I don’t think [Aspinall] beats Jon.

“Everybody has a pattern, right? There’s a fight pattern,” Velasquez continued. “Some people disguise it better than others. The simple fact is the way Tom comes in and fights, he does have a pattern that’s somewhat easier to find. He comes in and strikes. And I think you know what we’re talking about — a lot of things come with that. It’s disguising your pattern. It’s throwing fakes here and there before. But when he comes in to attack, he comes in and attacks. It’s 100% full go. He comes in, glides in, lunges in and does his attack. Again, not that it’s not effective — it is. He’s done great things with it. But I think with the type of guy that Jon Jones is, I think he studies him, and he beats him because of that.”

Irish Soccer Team Distances Itself From Conor McGregor After UFC Star Poses With Trophy Post-Cup Final Win

For a long time, being associated with Conor McGregor was one of the biggest boosts that any brand, company or product could hope to land on but that has changed significantly in recent months. In November, “The Notorious” was found liable for assault by an Irish court in his civil rape case. The Irishman was […]

For a long time, being associated with Conor McGregor was one of the biggest boosts that any brand, company or product could hope to land on but that has changed significantly in recent months. In November, “The Notorious” was found liable for assault by an Irish court in his civil rape case.

The Irishman was forced to pay out 248,000 euros following the result of his case but the financial damage is the only start of the repercussions. Several brands that were formerly linked with the sporting superstar have backed away from “The Mac” in the aftermath including the whiskey brand, Proper No. Twelve, which he launched in 2018 and sold three years later for a huge profit.

In a recent social media post, McGregor broadcast a photo of him holding the FAI Cup to his 47.1 million Instagram followers. The cup was recently won by Drogheda United who defeated Derry City 2-0 in Dublin to become FAI champions for the second time in their over 100-year history.

The former UFC champ-champ was seen celebrating at his Black Forge Inn alongside his cousin Warren Davis, who was an unused substitute in the final which took place on November 10. The Ireland Premier Division club have since posted an official statement on their website and on social media in order to distance themselves from McGregor who spoke about buying a club in his initial message.

“A social media post has been brought to our attention today regarding the FAI Cup. Those pictured are a close relation to one of our first team players, who like all the other players had custody of the cup to celebrate with their families at different intervals. Drogheda United do not associate ourselves with the individual who made the social media post in any way, or with any unauthorised brands mentioned.”

Tony Ferguson Said To Be In Talks With New Promotion Following 8-Fight UFC Losing Skid

The Global Fight League, or GFL, have announced a huge amount of names who will be eligible for the promotion’s upcoming draft this month. GFL is set to host its first event around April where the team-based season format will kick off once fighters have been selected by their chosen teams. Many of the names […]

The Global Fight League, or GFL, have announced a huge amount of names who will be eligible for the promotion’s upcoming draft this month. GFL is set to host its first event around April where the team-based season format will kick off once fighters have been selected by their chosen teams.

Many of the names on the current roster, particularly on the men’s side, are former UFC fighters who will add a certain amount of name value to the promotion from the very start. Amongst them is former UFC interim lightweight title challenger Kevin Lee who recently appeared on The Ariel Helwani Show to go into more detail about the promotion and his initial impressions of working with them.

Lee spoke during the interview about other names that could be joining him in the promotion who could be potential opponents for him at some stage. He specifically mentioned a former opponent of his who has been on a difficult run inside the Octagon as of late.

One of the criticisms of the GFL thus far has been the amount of fighters on the roster who are perceived to be over the hill or in some cases, already at the end of their careers. That would also be the narrative surrounding Tony Ferguson whose name still carries a degree of weight despite the fact that he has lost his last eight fights in a row which is a record for the MMA leader.

It appeared following his last defeat against Michael Chiesa that “El Cucuy” had one foot in retirement after he took off one of his gloves inside the cage before he later confirmed that he isn’t done yet. During his losing streak, Dana White has repeatedly made it clear that he hopes Ferguson retires with his 41st birthday being just around the corner.

However, according to what Lee has heard, it looks like Ferguson could be beginning a new chapter rather than closing the book for good.

“I’ve heard a couple of names tossed around, the one that interests me the most is Tony Ferguson,” Lee told Helwani. “He’s had his ups and downs in his career but we’ve had a great fight for the UFC championship and I think that’s something that a lot of people can get behind and that’s a fight that I really, really want. He’s in talks with them.”

Former UFC Fighter Outlines Factor Khabib Nurmagomedov Left Out Of Dagestan vs. Ireland Debate

Legendary former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov looks to have caused quite the stir with his recent suggestion of Dagestani dominance in mixed martial arts. Khabib is currently gearing up for a busy month as a coach. In addition to having two assignments next weekend at UFC 311, where both Islam Makhachev and Umar Nurmagomedov […]

Legendary former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov looks to have caused quite the stir with his recent suggestion of Dagestani dominance in mixed martial arts.

Khabib is currently gearing up for a busy month as a coach. In addition to having two assignments next weekend at UFC 311, where both Islam Makhachev and Umar Nurmagomedov will compete with gold on the line, a trip to Dubai the following week awaits the team.

Bellator champ Usman Nurmagomedov will kick off his year on Jan. 25, headlining the PFL’s Champions Series event at the Coca-Cola Arena. The Dagestani will be defending his title opposite Ireland’s Paul Hughes — a familiar regional rivalry for MMA fans who weren’t living under a rock in 2018.

Amid comparisons to Khabib vs. Conor McGregor, “The Eagle” has been touting his homeland’s dominance and superiority in the cage. And more than just bettering Ireland, the ex-UFC star believes a Dagestani group would handily defeat a team of fighters from around the world.

During a recent podcast episode uploaded to his Thiccc Boy YouTube channel, former UFC heavyweight Brendan Schaub reacted to those remarks, explaining one aspect of the debate he believes Khabib omitted.

“Dagestan is nothing else; all they do is focus on combat sports, nothing else,” Schaub said. “Wrestling, sambo — that’s their entire focus over there. They play nothing else. So, since kids, that’s the goal.

“Do you realize what would happen if the talent in America or Ireland — but in this case, America, where I’m from — decided to focus at a mass scale on MMA?” Schaub continued. “It would be the dream team versus everybody else. There would be no competition. Dagestan never had a single athlete ever that could compete in any major sport.”

For now, Khabib will be looking to help three members of his team support his claims of Dagestani superiority this month when Makhachev meets Armenia’s Arman Tsarukyan, Umar Nurmagomedov collides with Georgia’s Merab Dvalishvili, and Usman Nurmagomedov battles Ireland’s Hughes.

Jan B?achowicz Explains Jon Jones’ Callout Of Alex Pereira: ‘He’s A Little Bit Afraid’ Of Aspinall

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jan B?achowicz believes an element of fear is playing into heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones’ apparent preference for his next fight. Considerable uncertainty surrounds Jones entering 2025, with the next step in his career yet to be decided following his controversial decision to face Stipe Miocic last November instead of the […]

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jan B?achowicz believes an element of fear is playing into heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones’ apparent preference for his next fight.

Considerable uncertainty surrounds Jones entering 2025, with the next step in his career yet to be decided following his controversial decision to face Stipe Miocic last November instead of the division’s interim titleholder, Tom Aspinall.

And despite the belts still not being unified, “Bones” has frequently pointed to a showdown with light heavyweight champ Alex Pereira as his desired next outing instead.

While some have put that down to a marketing tactic that doesn’t truly reflect how Jones feels about facing Aspinall, one man who had his own pursuit of the Rochester native fail a number of years ago sees things differently.

During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, B?achowicz addressed the current state of the heavyweight title picture, outlining his belief that Jones is “afraid” of sharing the cage with Aspinall.

“I think (Jones) does this because Alex Pereira is now a big star in the UFC,” B?achowicz said. “Everybody knows him. He knows what he’s doing. But I believe he should fight against Aspinall, but I think he’s a little bit afraid of him.

“Because Aspinall is someone who can really stop him and beat him. I think he believes if he can fight against Pereira, he can take him down, control him, maybe something like this,” B?achowicz continued. “With Aspinall, it will be not so easy.”

B?achowicz looked to be next in line for Jones before he made the decision to vacate the light heavyweight crown in 2020 ahead of a move to heavyweight. The Polish powerhouse later captured the vacant throne at the expense of Dominick Reyes.

The veteran is now chasing a second reign, a goal that was most recently stalled by Pereira. B?achowicz welcomed the ex-middleweight champ to 205 pounds in 2023, losing a close and debated decision to “Poatan.”

The 41-year-old is now set to end his lengthy injury layoff by doing battle with the charging Carlos Ulberg at the UFC Fight Night in London this March.