UFC president Dana White told reporters on “Fight Island” that his matchmaking team is working on securing big fights for both Islam Makhachev and Khamzat Chimaev as he looks to stack the deck ahead of the final months of 2020. Makhachev was due to face former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos on “UFC Fight Island” next weekend at UFC 254, but after the Brazilian tested positive for COVID-19, the rising Russian lightweight contender has been left without a fight. And, even though there is a spare lightweight – former Bellator lightweight champion Michael Chandler – in Abu Dhabi, White said […]
UFC
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UFC man of the moment Khamzat Chimaev says he will fight anyone and everyone as he plots the next moves in his rapid rise in the promotion. Chimaev established himself as the name on every fight fan’s lips in the space of just two months when he exploded onto the UFC scene with three dominant victories across two weight classes. Such is his ascent that the Russian-born star – who now fights out of the Allstars gym in Stockholm, Sweden – has already been promised a main event slot in Las Vegas in December by UFC boss Dana White. However, finding […]
Khabib Nurmagomedov says he is “finished” with Conor McGregor and would not take part in the mooted reboot of reality TV show ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ with the Irishman even if the UFC offered him $5 billion. UFC boss Dana White recently proposed a relaunch of the long-running ‘Ultimate Fighter’ series featuring Khabib and arch rival McGregor as the heads of opposing teams of fighters. Khabib’s manager Ali Abdelaziz later revealed that the undefeated Russian star had dismissed the idea due to his lingering disdain for ‘The Notorious’. The UFC lightweight king himself has now made clear exactly how he feels about having […]
Dagestani flyweight Tagir Ulanbekov made his octagon debut at UFC Fight Island on Saturday night in Abu Dhabi, and after getting his career on the big stage off to a winning start, he dedicated his win to his former coach. Ulanbekov defeated Brazilian Bruno Silva via unanimous decision in the opening fight of the night on Fight Island to extend his professional record to 11 wins, 1 defeat and announce his arrival in the UFC’s 125-pound division. Then, when speaking to reporters backstage after his win, Ulanbekov revealed the pressure he put himself under as he revealed he fought for the […]
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has confirmed one of the sport’s most infamous rumors as he admitted that he hid under a cage in his gym to avoid drug-testers shortly after smoking a marijuana cigarette. Jones, who has drawn the ire of the UFC’s drug-testers on more than one occasion, had long been linked to the story, which was initially reported by Deadspin in 2015, which stated that Jones panicked when a tester showed up at his gym unannounced. Also on rt.com ‘I promise I won’t break anything on you’: UFC champ Jon Jones vows not to damage Mike […]
Russian UFC newcomer Tagir Ulanbekov has posted a throwback photo with Khabib Nurmagomedov and revealed the champ’s words to him as he set off for Abu Dhabi, where he has faced hitches in entering the city and became his own chef. Lightweight champion Nurmagomedov saw off Ulanbekov, one of his long-term training camp partners, as his fellow Dagestani departed for Abu Dhabi ahead of his first fight for the promotion next month. Former Gorilla Fighting Championship flyweight champion Ulanbekov then posted a picture of the pair together in one of their earliest camps, posing ahead of the Dagestan combat sambo championship in […]
UFC veteran Court McGee produced an incredible show of bravery after having his nose gruesomely disfigured by an uppercut from Carlos Condit, fighting through the pain to reach the end of the scrap against his astonished opponent. Tough welterweight McGee suffered the horrific injury at the end of round one in the clash against Condit at UFC Fight Island 4, when his rival sent him to the canvas with a shuddering uppercut. Stunned viewers noticed that McGee had reset his battered nose, which was clearly out of position as he sat in wait for the second round, before fighting on through […]
UFC champion Israel Adesanya has denied that he is using steroids after fans noticed an unusual swelling on his right pectoral during his UFC 253 win over Paulo Costa. Adesanya’s “painful” pectoral swelling was the source of much speculation when it was noticed on the broadcast in advance of his middleweight title defense against Costa last Saturday night. Almost immediately, several internet sleuths falsely determined that the swelling was a result of gynecomastia, which is an increase in the amount of breast gland tissue in men often caused by an imbalance of the estrogen and testosterone hormones and is often caused by steroid […]
Conor McGregor’s plans of facing Manny Pacquiao in a blockbuster boxing match in the Middle East are unlikely to happen because key players in the region are loyal to UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, the Russian’s manager says. McGregor and Pacquiao are in talks to meet in the ring later this year or in early 2021, as revealed by the Irishman in a bombshell tweet on Friday. ‘The Notorious’ named the Middle East as the location for the contest, which would be his second professional boxing outing after he famously faced ring icon Floyd Mayweather Jr in a Las Vegas money-spinner in 2017. […]
UFC boss Dana White has dismissed speculation that British welterweight star Leon Edwards will be next up for rising Russian-born star Khamzat Chimaev as he aims to continue his record-breaking assault on the rankings. Chimaev picked up a third UFC victory in the space of a little over two months when he destroyed Gerald Meerschaert with a one-punch KO just 17 seconds into their contest in Las Vegas earlier in September. The victory added to the red-hot hype surrounding Chimaev, with White saying he had “never seen anything like” the Chechen-born fighter. White confirmed in the build-up to UFC 253 this weekend […]
Fans have praised two-weight UFC champion Amanda Nunes and her partner, MMA fighter Nina Ansaroff, after the strawweight gave birth to their daughter, Raegan Ann Nunes, in an arrival that they described as a ‘dream come true’. Bantamweight and featherweight champion Nunes has become the first UFC title holder to be a mother after the partner she had sparred with deep into her pregnancy gave birth, leaving Nunes “speechless”. The “soulmates” first met when they sparred in Miami more than seven years ago, announcing Ansaroff’s pregnancy earlier this year as part of the long-term plan they had held to start a family together. […]
Paulo Costa cranked up the animosity with Israel Adesanya ahead of the pair’s UFC 253 middleweight title showdown as the Brazilian challenger shared a decapitated image of his rival. The unbeaten duo face off on Fight Island this weekend for the middleweight belt currently owned by Nigerian-born New Zealander Adesanya. Tensions between the pair had largely bubbled under the surface during the build-up to the bout, but tempers finally flared at Friday’s staredown when Costa tossed a white judo belt at his rival, in an apparent sign of his disdain for Adesanya’s grappling game. Also on rt.com WATCH: Dana White caught in the […]
If the build-up to their UFC middleweight title clash had seemed unexpectedly serene, then things exploded into life at Friday’s final staredown between Israel Adesanya and Paulo Costa. Middleweight ruler Adesanya and Brazil’s Costa both put their unbeaten records on the line as they headline UFC 253 in Abu Dhabi this weekend, and things got heated ahead of time when they faced off on Friday. Costa appeared first on deck and shook hands with UFC boss Dana White with a smile, before Adesanya arrived and also appeared in relaxed mood. That swiftly changed however when Costa revealed a black judo belt […]
Undefeated Russian prospect Aliaskhab Khizriev delivered the goods as he impressed UFC president Dana White and earned a UFC contract after a 50-second win at the Contender Series on Tuesday night in Las Vegas. The series, which features the world’s top fighting prospects, offers unsigned fighters the chance to compete in front of UFC president White at the promotion’s multi-million-dollar Apex facility, with the night’s most impressive winners earning a UFC contract each week. Khizriev was first up on Tuesday night, as he extended his undefeated record to 13-0 with a quickfire submission victory over Brazilian Henrique Shiguemoto in their middleweight […]
Nick Diaz is poised to end his five-year hiatus from the cage after his manager confirmed that the former UFC title challenger has returned to training and is eyeing a comeback fight in early 2021. Diaz has been absent from the cage since a January 2015 fight with Anderson Silva, with many assuming that the former Strikeforce champion was essentially retired. But his manager Kevin Mubenga confirmed to ESPN’s Ariel Helwani that the 37-year-old will fight next year. The Stockton, California native completed an intensive 14-week training regimen and has conducted a test weight cut, and is currently somewhere between 165lbs […]
A security guard whose block and takedown of a would-be thief went viral after it was caught on CCTV has officially been hired by UFC president Dana White, taking up a job offer after he flew her to a Conor McGregor fight. Summer Tapasa-Sataraka was at the center of a social media storm at the end of last year when footage emerged of her emphatically accosting a man trying to steal electrical equipment at a Best Buy store in Hawaii, blocking him from leaving and wrestling him to the ground as he tried to make his way through the exit as he held […]
UFC president Dana White took aim at those calling to defund law enforcement in his speech to the Republican convention, praising all first responders while vocally endorsing four more years for President Donald Trump. White spoke on the fourth and final night of the Republican National Convention on Thursday, voicing support for Trump in the 2020 presidential race and denouncing a wave of civil unrest that erupted earlier this year as “lawless destruction.” “It blows my mind how quickly some of the leadership in this country has forgotten the critical role first responders play in our society,” he said. “Police departments […]
UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya said that he will come out on top when the he meets fellow undefeated standout Paulo Costa next month as the two clashed in a heated television interview ahead of the UFC 253 main event. The two middleweight rivals have built a simmering rivalry for much of the past year, with Brazilian standout Costa stating that he will be the man to hand the flashy champion his first defeat in mixed martial arts – a claim rubbished by Adesanya in the expletive-ridden interview with ESPN. READ MORE: ‘I’m p*ssed off!’ UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya delivers IMPASSIONED SPEECH […]
UFC heavyweight champion of the world Stipe Miocic defeated Daniel Cormier in the third fight between the pair, then said he wanted his efforts to inspire his daughter after his grueling unanimous decision victory. Miocic defeated Cormier with scores of 49-46, 49-46, 48-47 on the judges’ scorecards as he outstruck the former two-division champion to retain his title and cement his legacy as the greatest heavyweight champion in UFC history. But, instead of being happy for himself after his hard-earned win, Miocic said the biggest takeaway from his victory was the lesson he hopes it will teach his young daughter. Speaking […]
Conor McGregor has goaded UFC rival Khabib Nurmagomedov by claiming the Russian will be “sh*tting his pants” against Justin Gaethje in the pair’s lightweight title unification fight and trying to “get a whiff of his jockstrap.” UFC lightweight champ Khabib meets interim title holder Gaethje on October 24, as the Russian bids to extend his unbeaten record to 29-0. Describing his plans for the fight in response to a post on Instagram by UFC commentator Joe Rogan featuring Gaethje, Khabib said the American fighter was “a nice guy” but that he would “drown him in the deepest ocean” when they meet […]
A man who was successfully sued by the UFC in a $32 million lawsuit has ended his silence in damning style, calling the multibillion-dollar promotion’s chiefs ‘old ass bozos’ and distancing himself from his own public apology. New Yorker Steven Messina was prosecuted by the UFC over the distribution of an estimated 200 hours of content in 2014, streaming events watched by fans unwilling to pay subscription and pay-per-view fees that have now risen to an annual ESPN charge of almost $85 and a fee nearing $65 for individual events. He appeared to have issued a groveling apology for uploading at least […]
Rhys “Skeletor” McKee, one of the top prospects in European MMA, was lost for words after he was told that he was being drafted in to compete against Russian-born grappler Khamzat Chimaev at ‘Fight Island’ on a week’s notice. McKee, a graduate of the Cage Warriors promotion which also featured the likes of Conor McGregor and Michael Bisping before they joined the UFC, has long been considered as a prime candidate to be drafted to the world’s largest mixed martial arts promotion – and that call finally came this weekend. READ MORE: ‘He entered the MATRIX’: New UFC star Fiziev shows fans skills that […]
UFC boss Dana White says a lightweight title unifier between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje could still be on the cards for September despite the tragic recent death of Khabib’s father and trainer Abdulmanap. Khabib has not spoken publicly since his father lost his months-long battle with complications arising from a Covid-19 infection earlier this month. READ MORE: Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, father of UFC champ Khabib, dies from Covid-19 complications aged 57 UFC chief White reiterated after the promotion’s latest card on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday night that he was still giving the Russian lightweight champion plenty of space […]
Georgian ‘Shewolf’ Liana Jojua scored her fifth career armbar and her first-ever UFC win when she submitted Dian Belbita in the first round at UFC Fight Night 172 on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi. READ MORE: ‘Who’s the p*ssy here?’: UFC’s Jojua and Kassem trade social media shots after Georgian ‘She Wolf’ calls out Aussie rival (PHOTOS) It took just 2 minutes and 43 seconds of the first for Jojua to dispatch Canada-based Romanian Belbita, leaving ‘The Warrior Princess’ writhing in agony to improve her record to 8-3 and notch her first ever victory with the UFC. Jojua made her much-anticipated debut back […]
Former UFC title holder Cody Garbrandt has told new Russian champ Petr Yan that he is ready to beat him, reacting to a photo posted by the winner at UFC 251 in which he posed in a swimming pool while calling Garbrandt “no chin”. Garbrandt labeled Yan “too slow” despite his impressive win over Jose Aldo to claim the UFC bantamweight crown with a fifth-round stoppage on Fight Island on Saturday, causing Yan to react by calling him “too dumb, no chin”. Yan then posed in a pool with veteran former victim Urijah Faber, calling the man he beat in three rounds […]
Petr Yan’s triumphant world title victory against Jose Aldo at UFC 251 has been immortalized on the streets of St. Petersburg with a picture-perfect mural of Russia’s latest UFC champion. Yan joined Khabib Nurmagomedov as one of just two Russian titleholders in the world’s largest mixed martial arts promotion when he earned a stoppage late in the fifth round of his “Fight Island” bout with MMA icon Aldo – and it didn’t long for his achievement to be recognized by the Russian artistic community. Also on rt.com Russia’s Petr Yan FINISHES legend Jose Aldo to win bantamweight CHAMPIONSHIP title at UFC […]
Russian’s Petr Yan says he plans on accepting any and all challenges during his reign as the UFC bantamweight titleholder, and even opened the door to a potential showdown with former two-division ruler ‘Triple C’ Henry Cejudo. Yan, who defeated Jose Aldo by fifth-round stoppage to claim his first UFC title on ‘Fight Island’ on Saturday night, now finds himself in the position that every new champion does: namely, having to adjust from being the hunter to the hunted. Also on rt.com Russia’s Petr Yan FINISHES legend Jose Aldo to win bantamweight CHAMPIONSHIP title at UFC 251 A rogue’s gallery of […]
Outspoken fighters Ben Askren and Colby Covington didn’t pull their punches in their assessment of the Kamaru Usman vs. Jorge Masvidal title fight at UFC 251 as the pair criticized the fight on social media. Former Bellator and ONE Championship welterweight champion Askren took the first pot-shot at Usman and Masvidal for their main event matchup on “UFC Fight Island,” which Usman won via unanimous decision with scores of 50-45, 50-45, 49-46. Askren lost his unbeaten record, and a fair degree of dignity, when Masvidal knocked him out in just five seconds at UFC 239 last summer. But the now-retired fighter […]
Russia has a new UFC world champion after Petr Yan scored a huge finish of former featherweight champion Jose Aldo to claim the vacant bantamweight title at UFC 251 in Abu Dhabi. READ MORE: In memory of Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov: Watch special episode of ‘Dagestan: Land of Warriors’ documentary series Yan finished a bloody war with legend Aldo by strikes when referee Leon Roberts eventually stepped in to save the former champ from further punishment in the fifth round. Yan becomes only the second Russian fighter in history to win a UFC title after 155 lbs king Khabib Nurmagomedov, bringing his record to 15-1. […]
Video games giant EA Sports have revealed that welterweight fan favorite Jorge Masvidal and middleweight king Israel Adesanya will grace the cover of their hotly-awaited new UFC game. After heated debate online – which at stages broke out into open insults – the video games giant dropped the trailer for the new UFC 4 game on Saturday, revealing that Masvidal and Adesanya would share cover star status. The timing is perfect for popular Miami fighter Masvidal as he prepares to face welterweight champion Kamaru Usman in their title bout at UFC 251 on the fabled ‘Fight Island’ in Abu Dhabi this weekend. Footage […]
In the event that his three piece and a soda isn’t enough to get the job done at UFC 251, Jorge Masvidal says he has arranged for a very special recipe to dethrone welterweight champion Kamaru Usman on ‘Fight Island’. While he admits the journey to this point was tough – after all, who enjoys cutting 20lbs while travelling halfway around the world? – now that the moment has arrived, Masvidal says that the hard work has been done. This is where the fun starts. “20-pounds in six days. That’s all I’m going to say. It was rough, but I did […]
A titanic replacement bout has reportedly been agreed for UFC 251 next weekend, with Jorge Masvidal set to step in to face champion Kamaru Usman for the UFC welterweight title. BMF champion Masvidal was the natural No. 1 contender to face Usman for the UFC’s 170-pound title, but appeared to have priced himself out of the matchup when the UFC dropped talks with the Miami native and instead booked Usman to fight Brazilian contender – and cheaper option – Gilbert Burns in the “Fight Island” headliner. But those plans hit the buffers before Usman and Burns even left the States, with the […]
Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, the father and coach of UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, died on 3 July at the age of 57 after a long battle with coronavirus-related health complications. MMA fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov has commented on the death of his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, in a conversation with the head of Russia’s Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov. “We did everything, we could. It’s important to remember and to acknowledge this”, the athlete said. He thanked Kadyrov for his support, saying “Let this unite our peoples [of Chechnya and Dagestan]. We thank you, thank you very much”. The UFC has published a statement, expressing its sincerest […]
The first big UFC Fight Island show has already suffered a major blow with the news that the main event bout between Kamaru Usman and Gilbert Burns is off due to the Brazilian testing positive for COVID-19. US-based MMA outlet MMA Junkie received information from multiple sources late Friday night confirming that Burns had been removed from his main event fight with Usman at UFC 251 on Jul 11. The pair were due to do battle for Usman’s UFC welterweight title on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, but Burns’ positive test has meant he will be removed from the card. The tests […]
Paige VanZant looks set to become the latest high-profile free agent in MMA after the flyweight fighter added her voice to growing discontent about fighter pay, suggesting she earns more through endorsements than via the UFC. VanZant is scheduled to face Amanda Ribas at UFC 251 on ‘Fight Island’ next month but the appearance could well be the last of her six-year UFC tenure after she announced to ESPN that she would allow her contract to expire in a bid to gauge her worth on the open market. Also on rt.com The naked truth: Paige VanZant set to return to action […]
UFC welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns has queried why Conor McGregor remains in the UFC rankings despite recently announcing he was quitting the fight game. Earlier in June the 31-year-old Irishman said he was calling it quits, citing a lack of “buzz” from the sport and claiming he was frustrated at the UFC for supposedly dragging its heels over his next bout. READ MORE: ‘I’ve decided to retire from fighting’: UFC star Conor McGregor claims he’s calling it quits AGAIN But three weeks on, McGregor remains in the UFC rankings, sitting number four in the lightweight division and number eight in […]
Petr Yan aims to become Russia’s latest UFC champion when he takes on the legendary Jose Aldo for the vacant bantamweight title on July 11 and as he told RT Sport, he is in very confident mood indeed. Ask anyone in the know and they would have told you that Petr Yan’s ascent to a UFC title bout wasn’t so much a matter of ‘if’, but ‘when’. The former ACB bantamweight champion will attempt to upgrade that championship to its UFC equivalent in a little less than a month when he fights Aldo in the UFC’s maiden ‘Fight Island’ card in Abu Dhabi, […]
Conor McGregor teammate Dillon Danis has publicly vowed to take revenge on Khabib Nurmagomedov’s camp after rewatching footage of the scrap that saw both sides heavily sanctioned following their clash at UFC 229 in October 2018. The incendiary post-fight brawl after the headline fight between lightweight champ Khabib and Irish nemesis McGregor threatened to overshadow the momentous bout between the fierce rivals, spilling into the crowd as the Russian leapt from the cage to confront members of McGregor’s entourage. Danis, a world-class grappler who has been part of McGregor’s camps since 2016, has previously claimed that Nurmagomedov failed to make contact with […]
Cody Garbrandt emphatically backed up his claim that he has rediscovered his passion for fighting by brutally knocking out bantamweight foe Raphael Assuncao with a colossal right hand at UFC 250, earning Performance of the Night. Garbrandt ended a run of three losses and secured his first win since he beat Dominick Cruz at the end of 2016 by producing a peach of a punch in the final seconds of the second round in Las Vegas, condemning Assuncao to a prolonged stay on the octagon canvas before he was eventually helped to his feet following a concussive end to his own hopes of […]
Conor McGregor announced on Twitter he has decided to retire from fighting, but many commenters are skeptical, considering the number of times he has done this before. The 31-year-old Irish fighter announced his retirement on Twitter, posting a picture of himself and his mom after one of his title wins. “Thank you all for the amazing memories! What a ride it’s been!” he said. Hey guys I’ve decided to retire from fighting.Thank you all for the amazing memories! What a ride it’s been!Here is a picture of myself and my mother in Las Vegas post one of my World title wins!Pick […]
UFC featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski has become the latest man to seek a lucrative showdown with notorious Irishman Conor McGregor, with the Aussie calling out his rival for a contest on the fabled ‘Fight Island’. Volkanovski, who was crowned featherweight champ in December after unseating longtime ruler Max Holloway, said he would relish the prospect of a meeting with McGregor at the as-yet unnamed island location where UFC boss Dana White says he will hold a series of events in June and July. “Who wouldn’t take that fight [against McGregor]?” Volkanovski told Australia’s 7 News. “You would be an absolute fool […]
UFC strawweight became the first woman ever in the promotion to win with a leg submission as she defeated fellow American Hannah Cifers in the first round of their Las Vegas fight on Saturday night. Dern, 27, was forced to weather an early storm as Cifers came out swinging but the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist took control once the action moved to the canvas mid-way through the first round. Once grounded, Dern locked in a kneebar which forced Cifers to tap – handing Dern the first leglock submission of any kind in UFC women’s history. Dern was a heavy favorite heading into […]
Alistair Overeem became the second fighter on the UFC roster to claim victories in FOUR different decades when he stopped Walt Harris in the second round of an emotional UFC Florida headliner on Saturday night. Veteran Dutch striker Overeem claimed the 46th win of a career which has now included victories in the 1990’s, 2000’s, 2010’s and 2020’s as he defeated Harris, who was fighting for the first time since the abduction and murder of his stepdaughter Aniah Blanchard last year. Also on rt.com ‘Without a hitch’ Conor McGregor HAILS UFC for hosting THREE events in EIGHT days in Jacksonville As […]
Former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor has paid tribute to the UFC for successfully hosting three events in the space of eight days in Jacksonville, Florida. The UFC kicked off their Jacksonville triple-header with UFC 249, which took place on May 9 at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in the city as they became the first major sporting event to be held in the United States since the COVID-19 lockdown. Also on rt.com ‘It’s ironic he’s on his knees’: Gaethje mocks McGregor for ‘losing clout’ as newly-crowned UFC interim champ targets Khabib During that event, Justin Gaethje defeated Tony Ferguson to […]
UFC official Jason Herzog has said suggested he has learned a “harsh” lesson as he appeared to apologize after being widely criticized for not stopping the light heavyweight fight between Anthony Smith and Glover Teixeira sooner. Veteran referee Herzog eventually called things off just over a minute into fifth round of the main event in Jacksonville on Wednesday, although many felt the stoppage should have come sooner as Smith shipped heavy punishment for more than two rounds. Herzog came in for heavy criticism on social media afterwards, while Smith’s corner were also slated for allowing their man back into the fight […]
Conor McGregor’s friend and long time sparring partner Artem Lobov says that the Irish fighter was more focused on his business ahead of the UFC 249 fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov, but will be victorious should they meet again. It’s not a secret that a rematch with Nurmagomedov is one of the top priorities for the former double champ. At least fight wise. McGregor started hyping up the bout almost right after his four round submission loss in October 2018. READ MORE: McGregor calls Khabib a ‘scurrying rat’, gets reminded of own ‘embarrassment’ in Twitter spat A new wave of trashtalk came following […]
Dominick Cruz is not a happy man following his controversial second-round stoppage loss to Henry Cejudo during Saturday’s UFC 249, claiming afterwards that referee Keith Peterson smelled of “alcohol and cigarettes.” Former bantamweight champion Cruz came up short in his quest to reclaim UFC gold after a 1,227-day absence from the cage in Jacksonville late Saturday night, as the injury-plagued fighter was finished by strikes seconds before the bell. Also on rt.com ‘Best contract negotiations ever?’: Skepticism as Henry Cejudo announces retirement after UFC 249 title defense (VIDEO) The finish came as Cejudo landed a knee to a ducking Cruz, sending the […]
Tony Ferguson will be licking his wounds in more ways than one on Sunday morning after he was taken to hospital for injuries suffered in his TKO defeat to Justin Gaethje in a fight which removes ‘El Cucuy’ from title contention. Ferguson was stopped late in the fifth round after a prolonged beating at the hands of newly-crowned interim lightweight champion Gaethje in their UFC 249 headline clash, and the fight left quite the physical toll on Ferguson. Also on rt.com Khabib responds after Justin Gaethje demolishes Tony Ferguson to win interim title at UFC 249 With his 12-fight, eight-year winning […]
Justin Gaethje produced the performance of a lifetime to demolish Tony Ferguson and win the interim lightweight title at UFC 249, and one man distinctly impressed was Khabib Nurmagomedov – the fighter he will likely face next. Gaethje picked Ferguson apart almost at will on the way to earning a fifth-round stoppage win at UFC 249 in Jacksonville, Florida. In a contest far more one-sided contest than most had envisaged, Ferguson’s 12-fight win streak coming to a thundering halt at the fists of his fellow American as Gaethje put on a brutally clinical striking masterclass. Also on rt.com ‘I want the […]
Heavyweight contender Francis Ngannou was already frustrated not to have been given his second shot at the UFC heavyweight title, and he took that frustration out on undefeated former kickboxer Jairzinho Rozenstruik at UFC 249. Ngannou had worked tirelessly with coach Eric Nicksick in isolation at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas as he prepared to face Rozenstruik, who had called him out following his dramatic late KO of Alistair Overeem. But, as the old phrase goes, be careful what you wish for. Also on rt.com UFC 249: Russia’s Alexey Oleynik enjoys a LIE DOWN between rounds, then DEFEATS former UFC champ […]
United States President Donald Trump sent a message of congratulations to Dana White and the UFC for being the first major sports league to return to action following the COVID-19 shutdown. Trump has earmarked sports leagues as the starting point for a gradual restart of the US economy, and he invited White, who spoke for him at the Republican National Convention, to be a part of a consultation group that also included the NBA’s Adam Silver and the NFL’s Roger Goodell, among other major US sports stakeholders. Also on rt.com Trump is watching: Dana White says US President Donald Trump is […]
It’s been nearly two months since the last UFC show, but now the biggest MMA promotion is back with a stacked card and a world title double-header at the top of the bill. Follow our live updates throughout the night. It’s been a rocky road to get here, but we finally have live fights back on our screens as the UFC stages the first sports event to be held in the United States since the coronavirus forced America to shut down two months ago. Now the UFC is back in business with a stacked fight card, and you can follow the action […]
UFC president Dana White said his team has worked flat out to keep fighters safe ahead of UFC 249, and revealed President Donald Trump is watching developments in Jacksonville ahead of fight night in Florida. Speaking to US showbiz outlet TMZ ahead of UFC 249 – and before news of Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza’s positive coronavirus test – White laid out the challenges that his team faced during fight week. Also on rt.com UFC star Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza TESTS POSITIVE for COVID-19, but UFC 249 will still GO AHEAD (VIDEO) “Going into it, obviously there’s going to be no fans here,” he […]
The news that Ronaldo ‘”Jacare” Souza, plus his two cornermen, tested positive coronavirus test couldn’t have come at a worse time for the UFC, who had done everything they could to mitigate risk ahead of UFC 249 The event, which is set to be the first major sporting event in the United States since the COVID-19 outbreak, was the focus of much of the sporting world as they watched with interest to see how the UFC dealt with the task of putting on a fight night during these times of social distancing. Also on rt.com UFC star Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza TESTS […]
The build-up to Saturday night’s UFC 249 event has been hit by a major setback following the news that UFC middleweight contender Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, plus two cornermen, have tested positive for coronavirus in Jacksonville. Souza was due to face Uriah Hall in a middleweight bout on the UFC 249 card in Jacksonville and, like all fighters involved on the card, had been subjected to coronavirus testing and daily temperature and health checks while at the UFC’s host hotel in the city. The official weigh-ins took place on Friday with many fighters, including Souza and his opponent Hall, wearing face masks. […]