Tag: UFC

Armen Petrosyan Doesn’t Consider Shara Magomedov’s ‘Lucky Punch’ At UFC 308 A Loss

UFC middleweight Armen Petrosyan believes Shara Magomedov was saved by an early stoppage in their clash this past weekend. Petrosyan was on the wrong end of one of the top highlights to come from Saturday’s UFC 308 pay-per-view in Abu Dhabi, where he opened the main card opposite a fellow striking specialist in Magomedov. The […]

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UFC middleweight Armen Petrosyan believes Shara Magomedov was saved by an early stoppage in their clash this past weekend.

Petrosyan was on the wrong end of one of the top highlights to come from Saturday’s UFC 308 pay-per-view in Abu Dhabi, where he opened the main card opposite a fellow striking specialist in Magomedov.

The Armenian was looking to stall the undefeated Dagestani’s rise, and he looked in a good place to do so through a competitive opening round. But in the second, “Superman” fell victim to an innovative spinning backfist.

After being put down by the blow, Petrosyan quickly found the referee standing over him while “Bullet” vaulted the cage wall to celebrate.

Though there hasn’t been much discourse surrounding the stoppage, Petrosyan firmly believes it to have been egregious, going as far as to state that Magomedov was “gifted” the win at Etihad Arena.

“It was a lucky punch,” Petrosyan told Red Corner MMA. “I was conscious, I was still in control. I heard the coaches shouting that it was the end of the round with 30 seconds left, so I kept working. He caught me. I thought he would go for the finish but he apparently didn’t. So I looked up and saw the referee (waving the fight off). I didn’t understand what’s up. … I was speechless.

“I don’t consider it a loss. He got gifted a W. The win was simply gifted to him, that’s all. … I’ve gotten a billion messages by now (saying the same),” Petrosyan continued. “Shara can say whatever he wants now. … I saw in his eyes that he was lost. He couldn’t complete any of his actions. … He couldn’t do anything. I eliminated all of his moves. … Of course I would like to get an immediate rematch.”

It appears unlikely that Petrosyan will get his wish for a rematch, with Magomedov’s entry into the middleweight rankings this week seemingly paving the way for a more high-profile matchup for “Bullet” next time out.

If Magomedov gets his wish, that’ll be against former two-time champion Israel Adesanya. But having not received a positive response to that ambitious callout, the Dagestani may have to settle for “The Last Stylebender’s” friend, Michael “Venom” Page, instead.

Continue Reading Armen Petrosyan Doesn’t Consider Shara Magomedov’s ‘Lucky Punch’ At UFC 308 A Loss at MMA News.

Ben Askren Not Shocked By Dana White’s Bashing Of Francis Ngannou: ‘When He Can’t Get What He Wants…’ 

Former Bellator and ONE Championship titleholder Ben Askren can relate to Francis Ngannou’s recent back and forth with UFC CEO Dana White. The aftermath of Ngannou’s successful return to mixed martial arts and PFL debut earlier this month has largely centered around the disparaging comments made by his ex-employer. White has claimed that he didn’t […]

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Former Bellator and ONE Championship titleholder Ben Askren can relate to Francis Ngannou’s recent back and forth with UFC CEO Dana White.

The aftermath of Ngannou’s successful return to mixed martial arts and PFL debut earlier this month has largely centered around the disparaging comments made by his ex-employer.

White has claimed that he didn’t like and even wanted to release Ngannou — who went on to win the title and become one of the greatest heavyweights of all-time — following his loss to Derrick Lewis in 2018.

The UFC boss has also accused the Cameroonian of being “all about the money” while simultaneously insisting that Ngannou turned down a more lucrative future in the Octagon. That’s in addition to saying he ran from Jon Jones despite “The Predator” calling to fight “Bones” in the same year he defeated Stipe Miocic to capture gold.

Though White has usual set of backers in the community, many have poked holes in the UFC president’s remarks. That includes someone previously on the receiving end of such a barrage.

During a recent episode of his Funky and the Champ YouTube show alongside Daniel Cormier, Askren likened Ngannou’s situation to his own when a potential UFC signing back in 2013 fell through.

From PFL standouts Ngannou and Cris Cyborg to former fighters like himself and Randy Couture, “Funky” noted the multitude of examples when it comes to White berating athletes who go against him.

“Dana spent years lying, saying I didn’t want to fight the best, I didn’t want challenges, I was running away, and that couldn’t have been further from the truth,” Askren said. “So, it sucked to have this guy – it’s essentially slander, saying things about me that I knew weren’t true. Dana has this part of his personality when he can’t get what he wants, and in that case, he didn’t offer me a contract, so he kind of got what he wanted. But then I think because I was continuing to have success and people were continuing to follow me, he wanted me off in a dark corner where everyone ignored me or something.

“He’s done the same thing with [Cris] Cyborg, I believe Randy Couture had a similar experience, obviously now Francis. If I thought really hard I could probably think of some other ones. But there’s this weird part of Dana’s personality where, if he doesn’t get exactly what he wants, he just starts crapping on people,” Askren continued. “And because he has a big microphone and because he’s generally very truthful and generally correct, people just believe him. So I had to deal with many years of Dana telling lies about me that were very harmful to me, that he had no reason or basis for doing.”

In this instance, Ngannou has had plenty of support from the MMA masses. A number of fans and media members have called White out for his recent remarks and accused him of contradictory statements regarding “The Predator.”

The Cameroonian himself doesn’t appear fazed. In addition to securing the contractual terms he was after away from the UFC, Ngannou has also been able to fulfil his dream of competing against the best competition in boxing.

Continue Reading Ben Askren Not Shocked By Dana White’s Bashing Of Francis Ngannou: ‘When He Can’t Get What He Wants…’  at MMA News.

Breaking News: Belal Muhammad Pulls Out of UFC 310 Title Defense Against Shavkat Rakhmonov

Belal MuhammadAccording to recent reports, ‘Remember the Name’ Belal Muhammad has withdrawn from his UFC 310 match against Shavkat Rakhmonov….

Belal Muhammad

According to recent reports, ‘Remember the Name’ Belal Muhammad has withdrawn from his UFC 310 match against Shavkat Rakhmonov. This was originally a UFC welterweight title match going down on December 7, 2024, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas USA.

Belal Muhammad Withdraws from UFC 310

Online, reports began coming out from journalists Benny P and Al Zullino that the UFC 310 main event is in jeopardy. The UFC has not made an official announcement regarding the December 7 event.

‘Remember the Name’ Belal Muhammad, Palestinian-American, is on a ten-fight unbeaten streak in the UFC. In his most recent fight, he avenged a prior no-contest and took the welterweight crown from Leon Edwards. As of July of 2024, Muhammad is the undisputed UFC welterweight world champion. Additionally, he has defeated notable figures such as Gilbert Burns, Sean Brady, and Stephen Thompson, among others.

‘Nomad’ Shavkat Rakhmonov, of Kazakhstan, earned his shot at the welterweight title by putting together an undefeated record in MMA with a perfect 18 victories. All of his wins have come by way of finish, either submission or KO/TKO. Currently, he is on a three0fight submission win streak against Stephen Thompson, Geoff Neal, and Neil Magny.

It is unclear what will be done with the UFC 310 main event. Whether they will push back the title fight to another date or keep Rakhmonov on the card to face another opponent, potentially for an interim title at welterweight.

The December 7 card also has a flyweight title fight between Alexandre Pantoja and Kai Asakura, and a heavyweight bout featuring Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov, plus Nick Diaz, and Aljamain Sterling, among others.

Belal Muhammad set to defend title in UFC 310 showdown with Shavkat Rakhmonov in December

Report: Belal Muhammad Out Of Shavkat Rakhmonov Title Fight At UFC 310

UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad is reportedly out of his scheduled title defense against Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310. Muhammad completed his ascent to the mountaintop at 170 pounds this past July in Manchester, England, where he upset the odds to get the better of Leon Edwards across five rounds in their rematch. Eager to […]

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UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad is reportedly out of his scheduled title defense against Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310.

Muhammad completed his ascent to the mountaintop at 170 pounds this past July in Manchester, England, where he upset the odds to get the better of Leon Edwards across five rounds in their rematch.

Eager to be active and face the toughest tests available to him, “Remember the Name” welcomed the challenge of undefeated phenom Rakhmonov. The promotion obliged, booking the pair to headline the UFC 310 pay-per-view in Las Vegas on Dec. 7.

On Wednesday, however, rumors began to circulate of a possible cancellation. Australian MMA insider @Bendaman2001 — who broke news of Khamzat Chimaev’s withdrawal from the Saudi Arabia UFC Fight Night this past June — was the first to suggest an issue with the UFC 310 headliner.

A more definitive report later came from longtime MMA media figure Al Zullino, who noted that the UFC is actively searching for a replacement fight to headline the final numbered card of 2024.

Should this news be confirmed, it’ll mark a setback in Rakhmonov’s title ambitions. The Kazakh fighter earned his opportunity with a 6-0 run since signing with the UFC back in 2020 off the back of championship success in M-1 Global.

It remains to be seen whether “Nomad” will remain on the UFC 310 card and face another top contender or patiently await a rescheduled clash with Muhammad in 2025.

This marks the latest blow to the Dec. 7 event, which already lost a crucial strawweight clash between the highly regarded Tatiana Suarez and Virna Jandiroba.

The lineup does still boast a title fight, though, with flyweight kingpin Alexandre Pantoja set to welcome former Rizin champ Kai Asakura to the UFC in defense of his gold.

Continue Reading Report: Belal Muhammad Out Of Shavkat Rakhmonov Title Fight At UFC 310 at MMA News.

Derrick Lewis Planning Low-Key Celebration At UFC Edmonton: ‘Really Trying To Clean Up My Act’

UFC heavyweight contender Derrick Lewis is looking to tone down his antics this weekend in the “Great White North.” Lewis, a former two-time UFC title challenger, is set for his second assignment of the year at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Edmonton. While he was originally announced to be facing Alexandr Romanov, a switch-up has […]

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UFC heavyweight contender Derrick Lewis is looking to tone down his antics this weekend in the “Great White North.”

Lewis, a former two-time UFC title challenger, is set for his second assignment of the year at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Edmonton. While he was originally announced to be facing Alexandr Romanov, a switch-up has left him preparing to battle a fellow power puncher in the undefeated Jhonata Diniz.

“The Black Beast” will enter the cage on Nov. 2 riding confidence from his knockout of Rodrigo Nascimento in St. Louis this past May, after which he delivered yet another memorable celebration.

But for those who enjoy shortless Lewis, hot balls, and crowd flashes, Lewis had some bad news for you during his appearance at UFC media day on Wednesday…

“This year, I’ve been trying to spend a lot of time with my kids at school, and they’re in elementary and stuff like that. And so me going to school and the kids ask me about my balls and things like that, it’s just very uncomfortable, man,” Lewis said while laughing. “I want to change up everything. I’m not even taking my shorts off no more.

“I didn’t think about the other kids, the other kids’ families watching stuff like that, hearing me talk the way I talk, and me doing stuff I’m doing, so I’m just really trying to clean up my act,” Lewis continued. “Be a class act this weekend, very professional.”

Time will tell if that remains the case in the immediate aftermath of a possible victory on Saturday night, especially if it sees him add yet another devastating knockout to his finishing tally inside the Octagon.

Continue Reading Derrick Lewis Planning Low-Key Celebration At UFC Edmonton: ‘Really Trying To Clean Up My Act’ at MMA News.

Michael ‘Venom’ Page Offers To Fight Shara Magomedov: ‘Leave My Boy Izzy Alone!’

UFC welterweight contender Michael “Venom” Page is willing to move up in weight for a striking battle with Shara Magomedov. Magomedov was among the biggest winners to emerge from this past weekend’s UFC 308 pay-per-view in Abu Dhabi, where he opened the main card against a fellow striking specialist in Armen Petrosyan. After a competitive […]

Continue Reading Michael ‘Venom’ Page Offers To Fight Shara Magomedov: ‘Leave My Boy Izzy Alone!’ at MMA News.

UFC welterweight contender Michael “Venom” Page is willing to move up in weight for a striking battle with Shara Magomedov.

Magomedov was among the biggest winners to emerge from this past weekend’s UFC 308 pay-per-view in Abu Dhabi, where he opened the main card against a fellow striking specialist in Armen Petrosyan.

After a competitive first round, “Bullet” produced an incredible highlight in the second, unloading a spinning double backfist to drop his Armenian counterpart for the knockout win.

The result moved Magomedov to 4-0 in the UFC, marked his third win since June, and paved the way for entry into the middleweight rankings at #14.

In the aftermath, the Dagestani made his plans to keep climbing the ladder clear with an ambitious callout of former two-time champion Israel Adesanya. Having not received a positive response, though, he may need to search elsewhere for his next challenge.

He might not have to look far, however.

One notable name has thrown their name into the hat, with longtime 170-pounder “MVP” offering to share the cage with Magomedov up at 185 pounds.

“Magomedov — he just fought, did the double spinning back [fist] knockout and then he called out my boy Izzy,” Page told MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck. “Mate, I’m at that weight right now. You don’t even have to wait too long. That one there, I’ll just take straight away just for the fun of it.

“I’m in shape now, ready to go. So that’s a good fight for me, I think. Just a nice stand up fight for everybody, just to come back to the game,” Page continued. “And like I said, leave my boy Izzy alone. He’s trying to get back to the belt, to the throne, so I’ll take his place.”

Page has gone 1-1 in his debut year competing under the UFC banner. Following his Bellator departure, the Brit got off to a strong start inside the Octagon by outpointing Kevin Holland at UFC 299 in Miami this past March.

But his charge toward title contention was narrowly stalled by Ian Garry when they met at UFC 303 during June’s International Fight Week in Las Vegas.

While “Venom” is currently without an opponent for his UFC return, he is keeping busy with a grappling match opposite former interim UFC champion Carlos Condit at Polaris 30 in London this weekend.

Continue Reading Michael ‘Venom’ Page Offers To Fight Shara Magomedov: ‘Leave My Boy Izzy Alone!’ at MMA News.