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UFC 254 Embedded Ep. 3: Khabib And ‘DC’ Reunited!

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 19:18:17 GMT

YouTube / UFC

The latest UFC Embedded episode for UFC 254 is out, and it tracks all the headliners across the Fight Island hotel in Abu Dhabi as they prepare for one of the biggest events of the year.

It’s UFC 254 fight week and that means a new episode of UFC Embedded every day leading up to what is looking like the biggest card of the year. The pay-per-view features lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov fighting challenger Justin Gaethje ... but for Episode 3 of UFC 254 Embedded we start things off with undercard fighter Tai Tuivasa, and it wouldn’t be a Tuivasa fight card without a bunch of people doing shoeys.

Shoeys, for those that don’t know, is when you take some random person’s stanky worn shoe, have your mate spit in it, and then skull a beer out of it. Just Bogan Things, you know? In this case, Tuivasa teaches the tradition to the Nelk Boys, some YouTube stars we are completely ignorant of, who of course are then forced to drink each others’ shoeys. The price you pay for internet fame!

Then things go into the fight hotel where we get to see Jared Cannonier get temperature gunned before being allowed into the training facilities. Cannonier says he’s not even cutting weight for this fight ... the only reason he’s on the treadmill is to keep up his fight cardio.

And then it’s the part you were all waiting for: the beautiful reunion of Khabib Nurmagomedov and Khabib Nurmagomedov. There’s nothing more entertaining than watching “DC” razz Khabib, and after a touching bit of hugging and rough housing, Cormier digs in at Khabib for wearing fancy shoes. Classic Cormier!

“My style is always like pressure,” Khabib says. “Make you tired. Take you down on the ground and maul you. I don’t think Justin can do this.”

Then it’s on to Justin Gaethje signing posters, where his mom reveals he used to spend hours in school practicing his signature “because I planned on signing big checks some day.”

Catch all the rest of the UFC Embedded episodes right here:

And remember, MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 254 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+“Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ESPN 2/ESPN+ at 12 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 254: “Khabib vs. Gaethje” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.

GSP Is ‘Only Fight In UFC’ That Excites Khabib

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 18:00:44 GMT

Photo by Valery Sharifulin\TASS via Getty Images

Once Khabib beats Justin Gaethje, he’s made it clear that no opponent in the UFC interests him except currently retired former champ Georges St-Pierre.

As excited as people are to see Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Justin Gaethje, and as much of a chance Gaethje has to actually win, everyone continues to wonder what Khabib will do next after smeshing Justin.

It’s by no means a sure thing, but knowing what’s in Nurmagomedov’s mind is still something we can speculate on. And up until now, speculation is all we had. Khabib has kept future plans on tight lockdown, always saying it’s Gaethje at UFC 254 on October 24th he’s focused on.

But on ESPN’s First Take, Khabib once again called for a fight against GOAT contender and former UFC welterweight / middleweight champ Georges St-Pierre.

“I really become excited when I think about Georges St-Pierre,” Khabib said when asked what opponent might excite him. “I don’t know if he wants to fight with me or not? Can he make weight, 155 or not?”

“But this fight makes me excited, honestly. And I think me versus Georges is going to be very very big fight. Very big fight. Like big fights for fans, big fight for pay-per-view. Big fight for analytics, for everybody. For fighters, you know ... this is the only fight in the UFC - after Gaethje - that makes me very excited.”

Khabib has been angling for a fight with Georges St-Pierre for a long time, and the feeling is mutual. Unfortunately, the UFC was so disinterested in the idea that GSP couldn’t even get a callback on the idea, leading to him officially retiring. But he’s stayed in suspiciously good shape since that retirement, and is looking a stone’s throw away from being able to hit 155 pounds with a weight cut. And let’s also remember that Khabib forced the UFC to include a good faith negotiation clause for a GSP fight into his new contract.

But what about a rematch with Conor McGregor? Just in case you haven’t been following Khabib news for the last two years let us update you: Khabib hates McGregor, and not in the “I want to punch you in the face,” way but the “Put your hand in s**t, your hand smells like s**t,” way. Nurmagomedov has used every variation of the word “No” and “Never” yet people keep asking him. They asked him if he’d face the winner of McGregor vs. Poirier in this same First Take interview and here’s what he said.

“You know about both of them, I finished both of them,” Khabib said. “And finished in dominant position, dominant performance. I’m not interested in either of these guys because I need new blood, new energy. Justin Gaethje gives me new maturation. He is real deal. Right now he is interim champ, he is very tough guy. If I think about both Dustin and Conor, they don’t give me good energy, they don’t give me maturation.

“Fight? For what? For my legacy?” Khabib concluded. “I always put these guys on my desk. I already beat them. Everything finished with these guys. I need new someone.”

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 254 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+“Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ESPN 2/ESPN+ at 12 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 254: “Khabib vs. Gaethje” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.

UFC Wants To Open ‘Fight Island’ To Fans In Early 2021

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 17:09:37 GMT

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Abu Dhabi will be the first place UFC holds events with fans, according to company President, Dana White, who is hoping for an “International Fight Week”-type event next year.

When will fans be able to attend an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event again?

It’s a question we’ve been asking for a while, and up until this point company President, Dana White, has said it’s one he has no answer for, that he’s not even thinking about bringing fans back given the situation with the worldwide pandemic. But now that has changed, and it sounds like the answer is early 2021 ... if you’ve got the cash to make it to “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

“What we’re going to do, hopefully soon, is give the fans the opportunity to come to ‘Fight Island,’” White told BT Sports.“And this place will be the first place to have a live crowd. Early next year.”

Early 2021, huh? With a Conor McGregor fight possibly coming together on Jan. 23, 2021, we wonder whether that would be the target date for fans. UFC 254 was almost the first UFC event to allow a limited number of general public to attend, but the local government nixed that idea for the moment.

In another interview with Virgin Radio’s Kris Fade, White expanded on how he’d like to set up an “International Fight Week”-type situation.

“I’m telling you right now, I believe Abu Dhabi is probably going to be one of the first places in the world that opens up to the fans because they have everything so dialed in over here,” White said. “And when we do and we do an event here, the people have seen we have showcased everything that this city has to offer. You see that Octagon down on the beach, that shot we did on Saturday where it comes from the sky down over the beach with the pool on the beach. The bar, all the different restaurants that are here, and and the hotels.

“This is a destination, and I don’t think a lot of people realize that,” he continued. “People are now realizing that Abu Dhabi is a bucket list destination. So I think that when we put on our first live event here with fans, people are going to fly in from all over the world. And it’s one of the things that I want to work on you know with the powers that be here is, making like when we open it up to the fans, make the whole week something cool to do every day almost like International Fight Week in Vegas, but doing that here in Abu Dhabi. Because there’s so much to do so much to see so many great places to eat, it’s going to be awesome.”

If this sounds like one big commercial for Abu Dhabi, it’s because that’s exactly what “Fight Island” has been from the beginning. The U.A.E. government isn’t splashing out all the cash to cover for the infrastructure and safety protocols just because it’s huge fans of UFC ... this is all about raising its nation’s stature in the global marketplace and in that way “Fight Island” has been a massive, massive success.

We imagine they’re drooling over the potential to host a Conor McGregor fight. With something that big, it may (as Dana White has often repeated) actually seize the title as “Fight Capital of the World” (during Covid-19, at least).

Of course, with case numbers rising at alarming rates around the world as everyone enters a second wave, there’s a good chance none of this happens. We don’t blame UFC for getting cocky after several events on “Fight Island” without a single sick person making it through into the bubble, but statistically speaking, we’re not so sure bringing 10,000+ people in will be as smooth. But hey, that’s a problem for the epidemiologists of Abu Dhabi to deal with. What do you think, Maniacs?

Gaethje Plans To Retire His Parents At UFC 254

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 16:14:25 GMT

Instagram / Justin Gaethje

UFC 254 title challenger Justin Gaethje opens up on how much his parents helped him become the man he is now and how he’ll repay them with the earnings from Saturday’s fight.

If you were about to potentially become a multi-millionaire off a hard night’s work, I’m sure many of you would say you’d take the money and retire.

Not Justin Gaethje, who faces UFC Lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov, this Saturday (Oct. 24, 2020) in Abu Dhabi. Gaethje plans to retire ... his parents. Carolina and John Ray Gaethje will be one of the tiny handful of people allowed into the “Fight Island” bubble, something Gaethje demanded of UFC and the promotion allowed.

At the UFC 253 pre-fight press conference, Gaethje talked about them and how good it felt to repay them with the trip ... and an opportunity for his mother to retire early with no money worries.

“My parents have never been flown international,” Gaethje said. “They got to fly business class, they’ve never flown business class. My dad retired a little over a year ago, he worked 37 years in a copper mine. My mom, she’s going to retire ... this fight starts, the bell rings at the beginning, then I will secure that she’ll retire after this fight. And she’s been working 35 years.

“They’ve never had a chance to fly international,” he continued. “Every bit of money they had went to me and my brother and my sister, giving us opportunities. We were 2 hours from any city. Going school clothing shopping was a vacation for us. We’d get up go to wresting tournaments two to three hours away, sometimes we’d stay the night. And they’d take financial hits every time we did that. Nothing is better on earth than being able to repay that.”

As for whether having them in the arena during the fight would help him? Gaethje indicated it would not.

“And for them to be here... when I step into the Octagon, nothing matters,” he said. “They’re not there. My coach Trevor Wittman is there, that’s the only voice I can hear. And that’s all that matters to me. But, I’m very happy that they get to experience this.”

In an earlier interview with TSN, Gaethje revealed just how involved his parents were in making sure he made the right decisions growing up ... down to his mother having Justin drug tested every week.

“Until you’re 18, you don’t have the ability to make the choices that you should be making,” he said. “I’m glad she drug tested me every week because I wasn’t in a position to not make terrible choices.

“My life has been organized and planned for me in a sense since I was a child,” he continued. “I had practice at three o’clock, and I had to show up. I had practice at six o’clock for another sport, and I had to show up and they always made sure I was there.”

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 254 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+“Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ESPN 2/ESPN+ at 12 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 254: “Khabib vs. Gaethje” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.

McGregor Vs. Poirier ‘Must Happen At 155’

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 15:31:24 GMT

Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

UFC President, Dana White, is once again refusing to be flexible with his biggest star regarding a proposed January rematch with Dustin Poirier.

Conor McGregor keeps on trying to attach stipulations to his next UFC fight, and company President, Dana White, keeps knocking them down.

The latest attempt to maintain a shred of decision making ability for his proposed fight against Dustin Poirier to be vetoed by the boss? McGregor and Poirier had both agreed to face each other at 170 pounds rather than their more typical 155-pound division.

But according to White, that ain’t gonna happen.

“It’s 155 pounds,” White said in an interview with broadcast partner BT Sport.“I’m not putting on a frigging multimillion dollar fight at a Catchweight that means nothing. It means nothing at 170. Neither one of those two are ranked at 170 pounds, and it doesn’t do anything in the 155-pound division if either one of them win. Because they’re fighting at 170. It literally makes no sense.

“There are plenty of organizations that put on fights that make no sense,” he continued. “You can go watch those fights any weekend. It’s not what we do here.”

Dana White echoes Khabib, says Conor vs Poirier MUST happen at 155......wow.

This is all quite humiliating for McGregor, who desperately wanted this fight to happen at Welterweight.pic.twitter.com/TiNn6u7Qkp
— The MMA Dude™ (@philthemmadude) October 21, 2020

Now, if you’re saying, “Wait a minute, wasn’t Conor McGregor’s last fight against Donald Cerrone at 170? And didn’t Dana White at the time that a win over ‘Cowboy’ at 170 would lead to a Conor vs. Khabib rematch?”

Yes.... Yes, he did say that.

But, that was old White, whose sport was largely surging along the tide that McGregor brought. Now, UFC is surging on a massive wave of success brought on by the ESPN deal and people being stuck at home during the pandemic getting into the sport.

Those who have been around for a while know UFC prefers it when fans are there for UFC, not individual UFC fighters. Which of course makes sense from a certain business point of view, if you ignore all the mega-stars UFC has thrown out with the bathwater trying to keep the brand as king.

However you feel about all that — and despite White denying McGregor’s demands on timeline, location, and now weight — UFC’s president thinks he’ll still get “Notorious” back in the cage for January.

“Listen, Conor likes to play games,” he said. “Conor plays games, and he does his thing. One thing Conor doesn’t do? Conor doesn’t commit to a fight and then not fight. Conor fights.”

Worth noting: no contracts have been signed for McGregor vs. Poirier on Jan. 21, 2021. What are the chances this fight still happens with UFC saying no all the way?

White: Forget MMA, Khabib Is ‘One Of The Biggest Stars In All Of Sports’

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 14:37:47 GMT

Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC

UFC 254 is trending to be the biggest fight in UFC history, and it’s largely off the back of Khabib Nurmagomedov, who has become an international sensation around the world.

UFC 254 is going to be big.

That’s the message Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President, Dana White, keeps hammering home in every interview and press conference appearance he’s been making over the last week.

“Monday, this thing was trending to be the biggest fight we’ve ever had,” he said on Tuesday.“Not Thursday, not Friday — Monday! It’s trending bigger than Khabib vs. McGregor!”

And while White didn’t have the updated trending numbers for Tuesday (or Wednesday) when he stepped out to the podium for the UFC 254 press conference (watch that here), he did have a bunch of numbers that he claimed locked in Khabib Nurmagomedov as not only one of the biggest stars in UFC, but in all of sports.

“The reality is this ... apparently people in the business don’t know this,” White said. “Khabib is one of the biggest stars in all of sports. Not just UFC. He’s one of the biggest stars in sports.

“I knew someone was going to ask me this today,” he continued. “Khabib’s videos have generated 222 million views. His content that features him: over 100 million views this year alone on Facebook. He’s broken records on Instagram, I could rattle off numbers all day. He’s the number one by far most played character in the video game by a long shot. And the numbers just go on and on, I could go on for days. But the kid’s broke a lot of records.”

That, of course, plays into the massive interest in UFC 254, which has that dynamite combo of top superstar (Khabib) versus true No. 1 contender (Justin Gaethje).

“And what makes this fight so big is that people believe this kid [Gaethje] has the style to beat him,” White said. “So you have all the ingredients for a massive fight. You have a big superstar and you’ve got a kid that’s coming off an incredible win over a highly respected fighter and many people believe that he has the style to win.

“UFC 254 impressions are at 23 billion,” White said later. “So how is this such a big fight? The world is not the same place it was eight months ago. Everything is completely different now and this is a massive fight that didn’t even need a world tour to pull 23 billion impressions.”

Who would have thought even 10 years ago during UFC’s first golden age that the sport — let alone a single event — could generate 23 billion impressions? That’s a whole lotta clicky-clicky on a wide variety of Internet stuffs, we tells ya!

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 254: “Khabib vs. Gaethje” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.

Video: Watch Khabib, Gaethje Face Off At UFC 254 Presser

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 13:40:32 GMT

UFC

Watch Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje square off after their UFC 254 press conference on the beaches of Fight Island, Abu Dhabi.

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov will defend his division title against the No. 1-ranked contender in the 155 pound division, Justin Gaethje, in the UFC 254 pay-per-view (PPV) main event tomorrow night (Sat., Oct. 24, 2020) inside Flash Forum on “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi.

During the pre-fight press conference featuring Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, and Dana White, the promotion squared off the two main event fighters for press photos. Everything remained very cordial between the two with Khabib touching Justin’s arm a few times and the two shaking hands.

FOR THE UNDISPUTED TITLE.

@TeamKhabib vs @Justin_Gaethje

[ #UFC254 - LIVE on #ESPNPlus PPV: https://t.co/sO1r9pAolh ] pic.twitter.com/62R0VjZQIE
— UFC (@ufc) October 21, 2020

Justin Gaethje also didn’t seem too comfortable holding his interim lightweight title next to Khabib, handing it off as soon as he could so he could be seen as the uncrowned challenger he still feels he is.

“I want that one,” he says, pointing at Khabib’s belt.

Adesanya vs. Costa this isn’t.

But, when you have a fight between such high level opponents like this, you don’t need all that drama. The drama of best versus best is more than enough.

Remember, too, that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 254 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+“Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ESPN 2/ESPN+ at 12 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 254: “Khabib vs. Gaethje” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.

Midnight Mania! UFC 254 Trending To Break PPV Record

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 04:00:00 GMT

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight!

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

Big business is set to go down on Fight Island. In an interview with TMZ, UFC President Dana White explained that he expects UFC 254 to surpass the buys of UFC 229, which currently holds the UFC record at 2.4 million buys.

“This thing’s trending of the charts for us right now,” White explained (transcription via MMAJunkie). “Monday, this thing was trending to be the biggest fight we’ve ever had. Not Thursday, not Friday — Monday! It’s trending bigger than (Khabib vs. McGregor).”

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from these potential numbers is the rise in stardom of Khabib Nurmagomedov. A couple years ago, it was indeed McGregor that pulled in a majority of the viewers to their grudge match. Defeating the Irishman certainly raised his profile, however, as last year 1.3 million people paid to see Nurmagomedov strangle Dustin Poirier (WATCH IT!) in yet another dominant victory.

It definitely doesn’t hurt that Justin Gaethje is arguably the most exciting fighter on the roster, but Khabib appears to be a bonafide superstar! If this event is as huge as White promises, either Nurmagomedov or Gaethje may see a huge boost in popularity coming Sunday morning.

Insomnia

Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje trade shots over the mentality and the value of an interim title:

Don’t be mad at me because you made the mistake of thinking you made it. Remember when I was outside taking pics right after the fight and you were hopping around in a hospital?
— Justin Gaethje (@Justin_Gaethje) October 20, 2020

Saenchai won yet another fight over the weekend! Here are the highlights:

View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Saenchai (@saenchaithailand) on Oct 20, 2020 at 3:03am PDT

Francis Ngannou has a point about the glacial pace of the Heavyweight belt. I wonder if his contract forces UFC to offer him a certain amount of fights per year?

Apparently Stipe is out until March. If I have to wait until then it'll be almost another year between fights.
— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) October 20, 2020

2 title fights in the @ufc heavyweight division for the past two years and yet we don't know if there will be another one anytime soon. Contenders have to fight for something #ThisIsSucks
— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) October 20, 2020

I fought once for 20 seconds in the last 16 months #ThisIsSucks
— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) October 20, 2020

Breaking: Jessica Andrade is pretty strong.

Andrade and Big Nog. Love this photo haha. pic.twitter.com/HmU8aNdl5G
— MS (@UFC_Obsessed) October 19, 2020

Khabib is really done talking about McGregor.

I don’t think Khabib likes Conor, you guys pic.twitter.com/XF7DawsJOa
— Luke (@StereotypeLuke) October 20, 2020

Just Donald Cerrone murdering some poor sap who clearly is pretty new to this whole fighting thing ...

Cowboy didn't need to do him like that pic.twitter.com/Lmr8VuTf0d
— The MMA Scene (@mma_scene) October 19, 2020

Old man with a sacrifice throw!

View this post on Instagram
Old man strength is real
A post shared by BJJScout (@bjj_scout) on Sep 29, 2020 at 9:53pm PDT

Slips, rips, and KO clips

I’ve posted a Justin Gaethje slam KO before, but I think that was a different fight? Either way, this clip is awesome.

Bringing back this Justin Gaethje clip from 2008 in honor of fight week #UFC254

pic.twitter.com/noSX55nbNt
— Connoisseur of Combat (@ConOfCombat) October 20, 2020

Amirov didn’t have a very deep grip, yet still managed to finish the anaconda choke. Impressive!

Zelimkhan Amirov submits Ammar Anvar via first round anaconda choke #ACAYoungEagles pic.twitter.com/aX8dhOyTzX
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) October 17, 2020

Some great instincts on display here to turn a bad position into an offensive one!

The improvisation of this kick by Roman Avdalyan, holy shit #ACAYoungEagles pic.twitter.com/jOfBv5jUVP
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) October 17, 2020

Random Land

A spectacular view of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park:

View this post on Instagram
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in China definitely is reminding us of the Avatar movie Tag someone you'd visit here with! Video by: @myyy____world
A post shared by Visit Magazine (@visit) on Jul 16, 2020 at 7:37am PDT

Midnight Music: I’ve been reading more into Lee Hazlewood’s career, which led me to the first hit single he produced in 1958. It rules!

Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.

‘I Had A Labyrinthitis Crisis!’

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 03:00:00 GMT

Patricky Freire | Photo by Masashi Hara/Getty Images

Patricky Freire was not medically cleared for Bellator 249 on Oct. 15, 2020. What the heck happened?

Bellator 249: “Cyborg vs. Blencowe” took place last week (Thurs., Oct. 15, 2020) at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. In her first Featherweight title defense, Cris Cyborg (23-2, 1 NC) smashed her way through Arlene Blencowe (13-8), finishing her with a rear-naked choke at 2:36 of round two (the first submission of her storied career).

Long-time Bellator MMA veteran Patricky Freire (23-9) was expected to take his first fight of 2020. He hasn’t lost a Bellator fight in more than three years and only took one “L” in Japan in a RIZIN tournament, but he had both honor and ranking to defend against promotional newcomer and LFA champion Jaleel Willis (13-2). “Pitbull” sounded pumped up for the challenge in his media day interview:

Inexplicably, the fight was removed from Thursday’s card and Steve Mowry vs. Shawn Teed was elevated from the “Prelims” undercard to the CBS Sports Network broadcast. No one during the live broadcast offered any clarification, but via his Instagram account, Freire decided to clear the matter up.

Was it because his opponent missed weight? No ...

View this post on Instagram
Hi guys, it's tough to say everything that's going through my mind right now. I really wanted to fight last night. You know how I love to fight and to go through something like this is inexplicable. I had a labyrinthitis crisis near the time to go to the arena. My team saw I was bad and the fight was cancelled. I apologize to @bellatormma and @jwillismma. I'm sure it would've been a great fight. Some times things go out of our control, but God knows all things. I'll be back soon. Fala galera, é difícil falar tudo que tá passando pela minha cabeça agora. Eu queria muito lutar ontem. Vocês sabem como amo lutar e passar por uma situação assim é inexplicável. Tive uma crise de labirintite perto da hora de ir pra arena. Minha equipe viu que eu estava mal e a luta foi cancelada. Peço desculpas ao @bellatormma e @jwillismma. Tenho certeza que seria uma ótima luta. Às vezes as coisas fogem do controle, mas Deus sabe de todas as coisas. Em breve estarei de volta.
A post shared by patrickypitbull (@patrickypitbull) on Oct 16, 2020 at 8:57am PDT

For those wondering Healthline defines labyrinthitis as follows.

“Labyrinthitis is an inner ear disorder. The two vestibular nerves in your inner ear send your brain information about your spatial navigation and balance control. When one of these nerves becomes inflamed, it creates a condition known as labyrinthitis. Symptoms include dizziness, nausea, and loss of hearing.”

Typically, the disorder can be caused by a viral infection, though not necessarily the one everyone is worried about in 2020. Treatment is (UNsurprisingly) rest and antibiotics. Hopefully, Bellator MMA can reschedule the fight for a future date to be determined.

To check out the latest Bellator MMA-related news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive news archive right here.

Predictions! UFC 254 ‘Prelims’ Preview - Pt. 2

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 02:00:00 GMT

Photo by Zhe Ji/Getty Images

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is bringing a bevy of “Prelims” fights to both UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+ and ESPN 2 this weekend (Sat., Oct. 24, 2020) when UFC 254: “Khabib vs. Gaethje” closes down “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi. MMAmania.com’s Patrick Stumberg continues the UFC 254 “Prelims” party with the second (and final) installment of a two-part undercard preview series below.

The Octagon’s most dominant champion faces his most dangerous challenger yet when Khabib Nurmagomedov takes on knockout machine Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 this weekend (Sat., Oct. 24, 2020). Flash Forum on “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, will also host a clash between Jared Cannonier and Robert Whittaker, as well as top prospect Phil Hawes against promising Aussie Jacob Malkoun.

Three UFC 254 “Prelims” undercard matches remain to preview and predict (check out the first batch here), so let’s fix that ...

265 lbs.: Stefan Struve vs. Tai Tuivasa

Stefan Struve (29-12) snapped a three-fight losing streak with a comeback submission of Marcos Rogerio de Lima in February of last year, then announced his intention to leave the sport on a high note. Unable to stay away, he returned in Dec. 2019 to face Ben Rothwell, who used heavy punches and a series of low blows to fell the towering Dutchman.

All told, 27 of his 29 professional victories have come inside the distance, 18 of them by submission.

Tai Tuivasa (10-3) — an acolyte of Mark Hunt — looked like UFC’s next big Australian thing after starting his Octagon career perfect (3-0). He has since evened his record with three consecutive defeats, most recently tapping to a Sergey Spivak arm triangle little more than one year ago.

He gives up 10 inches of height and 9.5 inches of reach to “The Skyscraper.”

This is about as binary a match up as you’re likely to see. If Struve gets it to the ground, he should have little difficulty tapping the grappling-inept “Bam Bam” in short order. If the pair spend any length of time on the feet, Tuivasa will knock Struve’s battered mandible into the fifth row.

As disappointing as Tuivasa’s recent efforts have been, Struve remains as profoundly hittable as ever, and if there’s one thing Tuivasa doesn’t lack, it’s killer instinct. So long as he doesn’t dally in the clinch and leave himself open to Struve’s tricky throws, expect Tuivasa to back Struve to the fence and repeat Hunt’s efforts with a crushing series of punches.

Prediction: Tuivasa via first-round technical knockout

170 lbs.: Alex Oliveira vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov

Following a main event loss to Donald Cerrone in 2016, Alex Oliveira (22-8-1) went 6-1 (1 NC) in his next eight, taking home three post-fight bonuses in the process. Then came a three-fight skid, from which he bounced back with decisions over Max Griffin and Peter Sobotta earlier this year.

“Cowboy” steps in for Elizeu Zaleski Dos Santos on around 2.5 weeks’ notice.

Kazakhstan’s Shavkat Rakhmonov (12-0) has never seen the judges as a professional, ending all but one of his 12 bouts within two rounds. His 2019 campaign saw him knock out Daniil Prikaza for the M-1 belt and defend it three months later with first-round finish of Tiago Varejao.

This will be his first fight in almost 16 months, as planned debuts in March and July both fell through.

This fight’s outcome depends entirely on how long it lasts. Rakhmonov was flash KO’d early in a 2018 comeback win over Faridun Odilov, which should give the ultra-powerful Oliveira some hope. The Kazakh did end up surviving, though, and we’ve consistently seen Oliveira fall apart by about the midway point of the second round. Rakhmonov is both a sufficiently adept wrestler to keep Oliveira from cruising to victory on top and delivers some hellacious ground-and-pound, meaning Oliveira can’t just hold on from his back to survive once the gas tank empties.

I ever-so-slightly favor Rakhmonov, who’s shown some improved striking of late and can absolutely decimate Oliveira if the latter fails to find an early finish. In short, Rakhmonov survives the early storm to pound out the Brazilian late.

Prediction: Rakhmonov via third-round technical knockout

205 lbs.: Da Un Jung vs. Sam Alvey

Da Un Jung (13-2) stumbled out of the professional gate with losses to Jun Soo Lim and future UFC competitor Roque Martinez, but went on to win 10 straight and secure a spot in the Octagon last year. He started his UFC campaign with a guillotine finish of Khadis Ibragimov, then took just 64 seconds to knock out Mike Rodriguez in Dec. 2019.

He has knocked out 10 professional foes and submitted two others.

Sam Alvey (33-14) successfully kicked off his UFC light heavyweight campaign by beating Marcin Prachnio and Gian Villante, extending his ongoing run to 7-2 in the process. He hasn’t tasted victory since, entering the cage this Saturday on a four-fight losing streak.

He faces a two-inch height disadvantage and a three-inch reach disadvantage.

Here’s an interesting factoid for you: Alvey, the notorious power-puncher, has only scored one knockout since 2016. That’s an 11-fight span wherein he only managed to stop Marcin Prachnio, who charged face-first into Alvey’s counter. Expecting him to put away Jung, a naturally larger man with enough length to steer clear of Alvey’s haymakers, doesn’t seem wise.

The question is less whether Jung will win and more whether he’ll get the knockout; Alvey’s chin has looked a bit shaky lately, so I say he does. Heavy punches bump the Korean slugger to 3-0 in the Octagon.

Prediction: Jung via first-round technical knockout

It’s hard to argue that UFC 254 isn’t worth the price of admission. See you Saturday, Maniacs.

Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 254 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+“Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ESPN 2/ESPN+ at 12 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 254: “Khabib vs. Gaethje” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.

Current UFC “Prelims” Prediction Record for 2020: 109-70-3

Ngannou Tired Of Waiting For Title Shot

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 01:20:08 GMT

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Since 2018, Francis Ngannou has only competed four times. In those four fights, the amount of time he’s actually spent in the cage swinging leather barely adds up to a total of two minutes since “The Predator” has ended all four of his opponents via first round knockout.

The hard-hitting Heavyweight was last seen knocking out Jairzinho Rozenstruick this past May, starching the big man in just 20 seconds. And once again, Ngannou didn’t even have to hit the showers afterwards since he barely broke a sweat. But unlike Khamzat Chimaev, Francis hasn’t been getting quick turnarounds, and he’s just about had it with sitting around.

The power-packing slugger vented his frustrations on social media.

2 title fights in the @ufc heavyweight division for the past two years and yet we don't know if there will be another one anytime soon. Contenders have to fight for something #ThisIsSucks
— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) October 20, 2020

“Two title fights in the UFC Heavyweight division for the past two year and yet we don’t know if there will be another one anytime soon. Contenders have to fight for something,” wrote Ngannou on Twitter.

Those two title fights were between current champion Stipe Miocic and ex-title holder, Daniel Cormier. The triogy took a while to wrap seeing as how injuries and the pandemic slowed things down.

While Ngannou’s nice run has earned him as rematch against Miocic, it seems that title fight won’t happen at UFC 256 on Dec. 12, 2020 since apparently the champion will be out for another five months.

Apparently Stipe is out until March. If I have to wait until then it'll be almost another year between fights.
— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) October 20, 2020

I fought once for 20 seconds in the last 16 months #ThisIsSucks
— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) October 20, 2020

“Apparently Stipe is out until March. If I have to wait until then, it will be almost another year in between fights,” he added. “I fought once for 20 seconds in the last 16 months,” he concluded.

Of course, the only other option is to take another fight instead of waiting around for another few months to get his much-desired title bout. Then again, Ngannou did work hard to get another shot at the strap, so risking it is unnecessary. At the end of the day, it’s a big decision he will have to make as 2020 nears its end.

Dos Anjos vs Makhachev Rebooked For Nov. 12

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 00:01:03 GMT

Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

A highly-anticipated Lightweight bout between Rafael dos Anjos and Islam Makhachev has been rebooked to go down at an upcoming UFC “Fight Night” event on Nov. 14 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The two talented 155-ppounders were set to fight this Saturday (Oct. 24, 2020) at UFC 254 on Yas Island before “RDA” was forced out of the event after he tested positive for COVID-19. With the promotion unable to fight someone on short notice to face Makhachev, he was removed from the card altogether.

No fret, Makhachev and dos Anjos will get a chance to get paid as they get it on in “Sin City” in a few short weeks. No word yet on whether or not this fight will headline the card, which currently does not have set main attraction.

As it stands, other notable fights booked for the event are Louis Smolka battling Jose Alberto Quinonez, Cory McKenna versus Kay Hansen and Gabriel Benitez taking on Justin Jaynes.

UFC 254 Clash: Ankalaev Vs. Cutelaba 2!

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 23:00:00 GMT

Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight prospects Magomed Ankalaev and Ion Cutelaba will rematch this weekend (Sat., Oct. 24, 2020) at UFC 254 inside Flash Forum on “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Does it even count as deja vu if the feeling is experienced every couple weeks for three straight months? Despite the “2” in the title, this match up has been mishandled, delayed or COVID’d four times previously. The first match — which ended too early when Cutelaba tried to play possum— took place all the way back in February, and UFC has been trying to re-book it ever since. Regardless of all the strange circumstances and bad blood, this is a great fight between two promising 205-pounders.

Let’s take a closer look at the keys to victory for each man:

Magomed Ankalaev

Record: 14-1
Key Wins: Ion Cutelaba (UFC Fight Night 169), Klidson Abreu (UFC Fight Night 145), Dalcha Lungiambula (UFC Fight Night 163)
Key Losses: Paul Craig (UFC Fight Night 127)
Keys to Victory: Ankalaev is expected to do big things for a reason. The Dagestani is a Master of Sport in Combat Sambo, which has translated to excellent wrestling inside the Octagon. In addition, Ankalaev has a penchant for kicking opponents in the face, which is a definite plus.

In the brief moments we saw Ankalaev and Cutelaba exchange in the first fight, it was pretty clear that Ankalaev was the sharper striker at range. Cutelaba had to resort to acting hurt, because he really needed Ankalaev to step into the pocket if he was going to land something major in return.

As such, I’d like to see Ankalaev work from the outside, firing his kicks and working that check hook when Cutelaba goes on the offensive. If he can frustrate Cutelaba — which should not be difficult given Cutelaba’s generally angry nature — it’s much more likely that “Hulk” will over-swing and waste energy.

That’s also a recipe for an easier takedown.

Ion Cutelaba

Record: 15-5 (1)
Key Wins: Khalil Rountree Jr (UFC Fight Night 160), Henrique da Silva (UFC Fight Night 110), Gadzhimurad Antigulov (UFC 217), Jonathon Wilson (UFC Fight Night 96)
Key Losses: Magomed Ankalaev (UFC Fight Night 169), Glover Teixeira (UFC Fight Night 150), Misha Cirkunov (UFC Fight Night 89), Jared Cannonier (TUF 24 Finale)
Keys to Victory: Cutelaba does not appear to be a mixed martial artist because he loves competition or cares about the sanctity of martial arts. Rather, Cutelaba likes fighting and hurting people, so this gig is simply a natural fit for “Hulk.”

The Greco-Roman wrestler has finished 12 of his victories via knockout.

Cutelaba is pretty good everywhere. He can wrestle rather well, and his power punches tend to land with good consistency. Historically, problems arise with his reckless aggression, which can either exhaust Cutelaba or leave him vulnerable to takedowns — both of which would be bad news opposite Ankalaev.

Pressure will be important for Cutelaba, who has to track Ankalaev down and work past the kicking range. However, it cannot be sloppy. He has to cut off the cage and move forward without lunging or leaving his legs behind.

If Cutelaba can consistently close distance, he seems like the more trustworthy man in a brawl. Cutelaba has been in wars of attrition before, fights where he was forced to dig deep and trade strikes in the pocket and clinch. Ankalaev largely has not, so that’s the type of battle Cutelaba should be trying to force.

Bottom Line

This should be a lot of fun!

Ankalaev is pretty steadily climbing the ranks, sitting at No. 14 just five fights into his UFC career. However, it has to be admitted that none of his wins are particularly impressive names. A clean, non-controversial victory over Cutelaba would be the biggest of his career, and it definitely sets him up for a Top 10 showdown next.

As for Cutelaba, though he’s been fighting a tough level of competition for a while now, he’s currently unranked. That seems a bit out of touch with reality to me personally, but it’s a problem Cutelaba can remedy with a victory. At 26 years of age, Cutelaba can still grow into a real contender, but for that to happen, he has to start winning consistently.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 254: “Khabib vs. Gaethje” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.

At UFC 254, Magomed Ankalaev and Ion Cutelaba will finally fight. Which man will earn the victory?

New Rankings! Andrade Shoots Up To No. 1

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 22:00:00 GMT

Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) recently staged UFC Fight Island 6 on ESPN+ last Sat. night (Oct. 17, 2020) inside Flash Forum on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. In the main event, Brian Ortega schooled Chan Sung Jung o nthe feet to earn a clear-cut unanimous decision win.

In the co-main event, Jessica Andrade made a successful move up to the women’s Flyweight division by knockout out Katlyn Chookagian in the third and final round with some vicious work to the body (highlights). Her performacne and vicotry was good enough to shoot “Bate Estaca” all the way to the No. 1 spot.

Here’s a refresher on how the rankings work, courtesy of UFC.com:

Rankings were generated by a voting panel made up of media members. The media members were asked to vote for who they feel are the top fighters in the UFC by weight-class and pound-for-pound. A fighter is only eligible to be voted on if they are in active status in the UFC. A fighter can appear in more than one weight division at a time. The champion and interim champion are considered to be in the top positions of their respective divisions and therefore are not eligible for voting by weight-class. However, the champions can be voted on for the pound-for-pound rankings.

Take a look at what the latest rankings field looks like courtesy of UFC.com. Note: (+/- = movement in rankings, T = tie, *NR = Not previously ranked).

MEN’S POUND-FOR-POUND

1. Jon Jones
2. Khabib Nurmagomedov
3. Israel Adesanya
4. Stipe Miocic
5. Kamaru Usman
6. Alexander Volkanovski
7. Justin Gaethje
8. Dustin Poirier
9. Max Holloway
10. Petr Yan
11. Conor McGregor
12. Robert Whittaker
13. Tony Ferguson +1
14. Deiveson Figueiredo -1
15. Francis Ngannou

FLYWEIGHT

Champion: Deiveson Figueiredo

1. Joseph Benavidez +1
2. Brandon Moreno -1
3. Askar Askarov
4. Alex Perez
5. Alexandre Pantoja
6. Brandon Royval
7. Jussier Formiga
8. Kai Kara France
9. Rogerio Bontorin
10. Matt Schnell
11. Raulian Paiva
12. David Dvorak
13. Tim Elliott
14. Tyson Nam +1
15. Jordan Espinoza -1

BANTAMWEIGHT

Champion: Petr Yan

1. Aljamain Sterling
2. Cory Sandhagen
3. Marlon Moraes
4. Cody Garbrandt
5. Frankie Edgar
6. Pedro Munhoz
7. Jose Aldo
8. Jimmie Rivera
9. Raphael Assuncao
10. Dominick Cruz
11. Rob Font
12. Cody Stamann
13. Merab Dvalishvili
14. Song Yadong
15. Marlon Vera

FEATHERWEIGHT

Champion: ALEXANDER VOLKANOVSKI

1. Max Holloway
2. Brian Ortega
3. Zabit Magomedsharipov
4. Yair Rodriguez +1
5. Chan Sung Jung -1
6. Calvin Kattar
7. Josh Emmett
8. Jeremy Stephens
9. Arnold Allen
10. Sodiq Yusuff +1
11. Shane Burgos
12. Dan Ige -2
13. Ryan Hall
14. Edson Barboza
15. Bryce Mitchell

LIGHTWEIGHT

Champion: KHABIB NURMAGOMEDOV

1. Justin Gaethje
2. Dustin Poirier
3. Tony Ferguson
4. Conor McGregor +1
5. Dan Hooker -1
6. Charles Oliveira
7. Paul Felder
8. Diego Ferreira
9. Al Iaquinta
10. Kevin Lee
11. Beneil Dariush
12. Islam Makhachev
13. Gregor Gillespie
14. Drew Dober
15. Donald Cerrone

WELTERWEIGHT

Champion: KAMARU USMAN

1. Colby Covington
2. Gilbert Burns
3. Leon Edwards
4. Jorge Masvidal
5. Stephen Thompson
6. Demian Maia +1
7. Tyron Woodley -1
8. Michael Chiesa
9. Neil Magny +1
10. Vicente Luque
11. Geoff Neal +1
12. Rafael dos Anjos -3
13. Nate Diaz
14. Anthony Pettis
15. Robbie Lawler

MIDDLEWEIGHT

Champion: ISRAEL ADESANYA

1. Robert Whittaker
2. Jared Cannonier +1
3. Paulo Costa -1
4. Jack Hermansson
5. Yoel Romero
6. Darren Till
7. Derek Brunson
8. Kelvin Gastelum
9. Chris Weidman
10. Uriah Hall
11. Edmen Shahbazyan
12. Brad Tavares
12. Omari Akhmedov +1
14. Marvin Vettori
15. Ian Heinisch

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT

Champion: Jan Blachowicz

1. Thiago Santos
2. Dominick Reyes
3. Glover Teixeira
4. Aleksandar Rakic
5. Jiri Prochazka
6. Volkan Oezdemir +1
7. Anthony Smith -1
8. Nikita Krylov
9. Johnny Walker
10. Misha Cirkunov
11. Magomed Ankalaev
12. Ryan Spann
13. Mauricio Rua
14. Paul Craig
15. Ovince Saint Preux

HEAVYWEIGHT

Champion: STIPE MIOCIC

1. Francis Ngannou
2. Curtis Blaydes
3. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
4. Derrick Lewis
5. Alistair Overeem
6. Junior dos Santos +1
7. Alexander Volkov -1
8. Augusto Sakai +1
9. Shamil Abdurakhimov
10. Walt Harris -2
11. Aleksei Oleinik
12. Sergei Pavlovich
13. Ciryl Gane
14. Blagoy Ivanov
15. Marcin Tybura

WOMEN’S POUND-FOR-POUND

1. Amanda Nunes
2. Weili Zhang
3. Valentina Shevchenko
4. Rose Namajunas
5. Jessica Andrade +1
6. Joanna Jedrzejczyk -1
7. Germaine de Randamie +1
8. Holly Holm -1
9. Aspen Ladd
10. Cynthia Calvillo +1
11. Katlyn Chookagian -1
12. Nina Ansaroff +1
13. Claudia Gadelha -1
14. Julianna Pena
15. Raquel Pennington

WOMEN’S STRAWWEIGHT

Champion: WEILI ZHANG

1. Rose Namajunas
2. Joanna Jedrzejczyk +1
3. Jessica Andrade -1
4. Carla Esparza
5. Claudia Gadelha
6. Nina Ansaroff
7. Michelle Waterson
8. Marina Rodriguez
9. Yan Xiaonan
10. Amanda Ribas
11. Tecia Torres
12. Mackenzie Dern +1
13. Angela Hill -1
14. Virna Jandiroba
15. Felice Herrig

Note: Tatiana Suarez removed from both strawweight and P4P rankings

WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT

Champion: VALENTINA SHEVCHENKO

1. Jessica Andrade *NR
2. Katlyn Chookagian -1
3. Jennifer Maia -1
4. Cynthia Calvillo -1
5. Lauren Murphy -1
6. Jessica Eye -1
7. Joanne Calderwood -1
8. Roxanne Modafferi -1
9. Vivian Araujo -1
10. Andrea Lee -1
11. Maycee Barber -1
12. Gillian Robertson +3
13. Alexis Davis -2
14. Montana de la Rosa -2
15. Antonina Shevchenko -1

WOMEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT

Champion: AMANDA NUNES

1. Germaine de Randamie
2. Holly Holm
3. Aspen Ladd
4. Raquel Pennington
5. Irene Aldana
6. Julianna Pena
7. Ketlen Vieira
8. Yana Kunitskaya
9. Sara McMann
10. Marion Reneau
11. Lina Lansberg
12. Macy Chiasson
13. Sijara Eubanks
14. Pannie Kianzad
15. Julia Avila

You can expect these rankings to change around this time next week, particularly in the Lightweight division following this weekend’s UFC 254: “Khabib vs Gaethje” mixed martial arts (MMA) event on ESPN+ from Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.

For much more on that upcoming fight card click here.

Free Fight! Khabib Chokes Out Poirier In Abu Dhabi

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 21:00:00 GMT

Photo by Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Khabib Nurmagomedov will look to keep his undefeated run (28-0, 12-0 UFC) this Saturday night (Oct. 24, 2020) — which is set to go down inside Flash Forum located on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates — when he battels interim Lightweight champion Justin Gaethje at UFC 254.

But it won’t be “The Eagle’s” first championship bout on “Fight Island,” as Nurmagomedov last fight also took place in the same location long before the marketing genius's over at UFC headquarters decided to stick that label on it during the worldwide pandemic.

Indeed, Nurmagomedov faced Dustin Poirier at UFC 242 in another title unification bout in September of 2019. And it didn’t take long for Poirier to realize just what kind of night it would be as Nurmagomedov took him down a minute into the fight, and then went on to control him on the ground for the first five minutes.

In round two, Poirier found some success on the feet during the opening minute, but after Khabib closed the distance, it was another round of having “The Eagle” on top of him raining down punishment. When on the feet, Khabib used his grappling to keep “Diamond” from firing off any offense.

In round three, Poirier managed to time one of Khabib’s takedown attempts well enough to latch on a guillotine choke attempt. While he did have it on tight for a moment, “The Eagle” manages to break free before eventually sinking in a rear-naked choke to put an end to the fight.

Now, “The Eagle” will look to earn another championship win in Abu Dhabi by eliminating Gaethje from his path to ending his storied career with an undefeated mark.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 254: “Khabib vs. Gaethje” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.

Mac-Happy Smith Shut Down By Khabib

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 20:02:15 GMT

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov may have become the first athlete in history to leave ESPN loudmouth Stephen A. Smith at a loss for words. But I guess that’s what happens when you try to talk “shit.”

Which appears to be Eagle-speak for Conor McGregor.

“A lot of times, particularly in the fight game, you talk about giving the people what they want to see,” Smith said during “First Take” on ESPN. “One of the things I said last week talking about you, sir, was that you really don’t want to fight somebody like Conor McGregor again, primarily because you don’t like him and you think fighting him again gives him attention that you don’t believe he deserves. How accurate is that?”

“Right now, I don’t even want to talk about this shit,” Nurmagomedov fired back, which is not surprising when you consider the undefeated champion handily disposed of “Notorious” (despite this claim) but remains bludgeoned by inquiries about rematching the Irish superstar.

Smith had no follow-up questions regarding the UFC 254 pay-per-view (PPV) main event, where “The Eagle” will fly against interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje. The action takes place this Sat. (Oct. 24, 2020) inside Flash Forum on “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 254: “Khabib vs. Gaethje” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here. To see the complete UFC 254 fight card and lineup click here.

‘We’re Trying To Solve The Puzzle That’s Khabib’

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 18:40:46 GMT

Photo by Brandon Magnus/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

How do you solve a problem like Maria?

I have no idea, but it’s gotta be a helluva lot easier than solving a problem like Khabib, who is undefeated at 28-0 and quite possibly the most dominant lightweight fighter to ever compete in mixed martial arts (MMA).

That won’t stop Justin Gaethje from trying when they go to war in the five-round main event atop the UFC 254 pay-per-view (PPV) fight card this Sat. afternoon (Oct. 24, 2020) on “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi.

“We’re trying to solve the puzzle that’s Khabib,” Gaethje’s wrestling coach Ben Cherrington said on Ep. 2 of UFC 254 Embedded. “So we’ve worked on some unconventional wrestling defense, folk-style wrestling, create scrambles and keep the hips high. Not letting the guy settle in and that’s what Khabib’s so good at.”

The winner exits Abu Dhabi as the undisputed lightweight champion.

Click here to watch Ep. 1 of UFC 254 Embedded.

Live! UFC 254 Results & Play-By-Play!

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 18:02:00 GMT

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is locked and loaded for the upcoming UFC 254 pay-per-view (PPV) event, which takes place inside Flash Forum on Yas Island — also known as “Fight Island” — in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), this Sat. afternoon (Oct. 24, 2020) streaming live via ESPN+. The championship main event will feature reigning lightweight kingpin Khabib Nurmagomedov defending his 155-pound strap against interim titleholder Justin Gaethje. UFC 254 also hosts the middleweight showdown between former champion Robert Whittaker and surging power-puncher Jared Cannonier, who collide for a shot at the 185-pound strap, currently held by undefeated striking sensation Israel Adesanya.

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 254 fight card below, starting with the ESPN+“Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ESPN+/ESPN2 at 12 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps, and post-fight analysis following “Khabib vs. Gaethje.” Without further delay, see below for the latest UFC 254 results. (Note: This will go from the bottom up; therefore, scroll toward the bottom for the latest detailed round-by-round action.)

UFC 254 QUICK RESULTS:

Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Justin Gaethje
Robert Whittaker vs. Jared Cannonier
Walt Harris vs. Alexander Volkov
Phil Hawes vs. Jacob Malkoun
Lauren Murphy vs. Liliya Shakirova
Magomed Ankalaev vs. Ion Cutelaba
Stefan Struve vs. Tai Tuivasa
Alex Oliveira vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov
Sam Alvey vs. Da Un Jung
Casey Kenney vs. Nathaniel Wood
Sergey Morozov vs. TBA
Liana Jojua vs. Miranda Maverick
Joel Alvarez vs. Alexander Yakovlev

UFC 254 PLAY-BY-PLAY:

155 lbs.: UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. UFC Interim Lightweight Champion Justin Gaethje

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Round 4:

Round 5:

Final result:

185 lbs.: Robert Whittaker vs. Jared Cannonier

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Final result:

265 lbs.: Walt Harris vs. Alexander Volkov

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Final result:

155 lbs.: Phil Hawes vs. Jacob Malkoun

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Final result:

125 lbs.: Lauren Murphy vs. Liliya Shakirova

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Final result:

205 lbs.: Magomed Ankalaev vs. Ion Cutelaba

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Final result:

265 lbs.: Stefan Struve vs. Tai Tuivasa

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Final result:

170 lbs.: Alex Oliveira vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Final result:

205 lbs.: Sam Alvey vs. Da Un Jung

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Final result:

135 lbs.: Casey Kenney vs. Nathaniel Wood

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Final result:

135 lbs.: Sergey Morozov vs. TBA

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Final result:

125 lbs.: Liana Jojua vs. Miranda Maverick

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Final result:

155 lbs.: Joel Alvarez vs. Alexander Yakovlev

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Final result:

No ‘Bones’ About It, Cannonier Ready For Adesanya

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 17:46:25 GMT

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight contender Jared Cannonier, currently ranked No. 3 in the 185-pound division, expects to earn a division title shot against Israel Adesanya with a victory over Robert Whittaker on “Fight Island.”

Perhaps that’s why Adesanya keeps talking about fighting Jon Jones, because if “The Last Stylebender” can get Cannonier to let his guard down, then maybe “Killa Gorilla” won’t be in fight shape when the last-minute call comes through.

“That would leave me two months to prepare for a title fight,” Cannonier said at the UFC 254 media day. “I think that would be pretty smart for their camp if they wanted to make that happen. Maybe they’re doing the ‘hey look over here guys’ and the next thing you know I’m getting the call saying, ‘Hey you wanna fight Dec. 12?’ Hell yeah, I’ll be ready. They may be trying to lull me to sleep but I ain’t falling for nothing like that.”

In order for Cannonier to earn his crack at the division crown, he must first get past Whittaker in the UFC 254 pay-per-view (PPV) co-main event, scheduled for this Sat. afternoon (Oct. 24, 2020) inside Flash Forum on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

The 13-4 “Killa Gorilla” is the winner of three straight — all by way of technical knockout — including his Sept. 2019 destruction of Jack Hermansson. But whether or not UFC is willing to risk a “Bones” super fight in favor of Adesanya-Cannonier remains to be seen.

Bye! Khabib Evicts Chandler From Fight Island

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 16:16:50 GMT

Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Michael Chandler flew all the way to Abu Dhabi just to make weight and go home.

That’s according to reigning UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, who doesn’t think the former Bellator MMA 155-pound titleholder needs to be serving as backup for the UFC 254 pay-per-view (PPV) main event.

“Thank you Michael Chandler, go home and fight with some other fighters,” Nurmagomedov told Aaron Bronsteter. “He’s not high-level championship fighter in UFC. Two fights ago he lose in other organization, featherweight, he knock him out. He have to show the world he can fight for the title. Fight with someone from Top 5 in UFC and then we gonna talk about him.”

UFC tried that but didn’t seem to have much luck.

Nurmagomedov (28-0) defends his lightweight strap against interim division titleholder Justin Gaethje (22-2) this weekend on “Fight Island.” A victory over “The Highlight” is likely to earn “The Eagle” something special, according to promotion president Dana White.

Here’s the current lightweight Top 5:

1. Justin Gaethje
2. Dustin Poirier
3. Tony Ferguson
4. Dan Hooker
5. Conor McGregor

Gaethje is fighting Nurmagomedov and Poirier is trying to land a January rematch with McGregor. with Ferguson disinterested in facing the “Iron” man, the only available candidate is Dan Hooker.

“The Hangman” is currently unbooked.