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Khamzat Chimaev has been inactive, endured health struggles but you just never know what you’re about to get: he praised former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman before warning Robert Whittaker that if a decorated wrestler couldn’t stuff his takedowns during their short-notice contest last October, the former middleweight titleholder wouldn’t have more success. Continue reading “Chimaev: If Usman couldn’t manage it, then Whittaker won’t stop my wrestling”
Caio Borralho began well, fended off some adversity and multiple warnings for outstretched fingers, but eventually got the job done over 25 minutes and ticked multiple boxes with a mature showing across all levels against one-time middleweight title challenger Jared Cannonier, before calling out the 185lb champ having asserted himself as one of the division’s rising contenders. Continue reading “UFC Vegas 96: Borralho beckons du Plessis after UD5 win in gruelling Cannonier clash”
Dricus du Plessis defiantly embraced the chaos and emerged stronger for the experience to make a successful first UFC middleweight title defence against longtime champion Israel Adesanya in the early hours Sunday, inflicting another career-altering defeat as the 185lb division has shaken up once more. Continue reading “UFC 305: Dricus defies doubters again, retains title with R4 sub win vs. Adesanya”
Dricus du Plessis got the job done as promised, mixing wrestling and subtle striking adjustments to outpoint Sean Strickland and become the new middleweight king before an inevitable Israel Adesanya callout. Prior, Raquel Pennington outsmarted Mayra Bueno Silva to seize the vacant women’s bantamweight title after Movsar Evloev’s career-best win over Arnold Allen. Continue reading “UFC 297: Dricus du Plessis seizes Sean Strickland’s middleweight title via split decision, Pennington claims vacant gold”
After logging his fourth consecutive submission victory to cap a busy 2023 schedule at Paul Craig’s expense, #8 ranked middleweight contender Brendan Allen has a golden opportunity to do what he has publicly stated is his destiny: showcase his championship credentials against a one-time title challenger and catapult himself into the top-5 rankings at 185lbs in three months’ time.
Continue reading “Brendan Allen earns springboard shot at 185lbs against Marvin Vettori on Apr. 6”
After praise for accepting an unenviable task on short-notice last week, it’s fair to say fight week hasn’t been particularly kind to former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. He makes his middleweight debut this weekend at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi against the man many tipped to dethrone him at 170lbs – unbeaten contender Khamzat Chimaev. After Wednesday’s open workout, the noise has instead centred around the state of his long-standing knee issues. Continue reading “UFC 294: Bad knees – pop or otherwise – Usman’s back is against the wall as Chimaev challenge awaits at 185lbs”
Well then, who saw that coming? Sean Strickland is now king of the UFC middleweights after a fantastic display of pressure and stern defence over 25 minutes bamboozled Israel Adesanya into submission at the weekend, on enemy soil no less, as fresh matchups galore have been cracked open after the American’s shock title victory in Australia. Click to read more, for the debrief. Continue reading “UFC 293 – The debrief: Strickland stuns, outboxes Adesanya to earn 185lb gold”
Israel Adesanya makes the first defence of his second UFC middleweight title reign against an unpredictable underdog in Sean Strickland – whose path to this opportunity was borne from activity at a time where fresh contenders were sparse. While a Dricus du Plessis showdown seems inevitable in future, Strickland’s best method of winning this championship clash is gruelling and difficult to achieve after all that has come before it. Can he execute it though? Continue reading “UFC 293: Adesanya insists Strickland is selling wolf tickets, so should you watch?”
Featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski returned to his natural weight class and decimated the interim titlist in style, after Dricus du Plessis’ division-altering display at middleweight and Alexandre Pantoja overcame adversity against a familiar face as a new world champion was crowned in the co-main.
Continue reading “UFC 290: Volkanovski bullies Rodriguez, after big wins for Pantoja and du Plessis”
Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker predicted Jared Cannonier would win last weekend’s main event matchup against Marvin Vettori, in a battle of two contenders he’s previously beaten. However, he spoke of his surprise at how things played out – something that has been brewing for a while as far as the Italian is concerned. Continue reading “Whittaker surprised by Cannonier’s dominant win vs. Vettori – he shouldn’t be”
BBC Africa ran a story earlier today after being told by the UFC’s chief operating officer Lawrence Epstein the promotion aims to host an event in Africa sometime next year, with Senegal’s Dakar Arena the most likely destination. All things considered, how probable is this and will it live up to the billing?
Continue reading “UFC Africa: As Senegal is named frontrunner destination, how viable is this project in 2024?”
Jon Jones needed less than three minutes to clinch UFC heavyweight gold as he ended a three-year layoff in style, submitting Ciryl Gane on his long-awaited return. That finish came after Alexa Grasso’s stunning submission win over long-reigning champion Valentina Shevchenko, crowning her the new women’s flyweight queen after big wins for Shavkat Rakmonov and more in Las Vegas. Continue reading “UFC 285: Jon Jones dismantles Ciryl Gane in R1, Alexa Grasso submits Valentina Shevchenko in stunner”
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