UFC

UFC 288: Sterling outpoints returning Cejudo, after Belal’s big decision win

Aljamain Sterling of Jamaica fights against Henry Cejudo during their bantamweight title bout at UFC 288 at Prudential Center on May 06, 2023 in...

UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling secured his third title defence with a split decision nod against two-division champion Henry Cejudo, who acquitted himself well after a three-year layoff but wasn’t active nor urgent enough to consistently trouble the 135lb titlist over 25 minutes. Prior, there were big wins for Belal Muhammad and Yan Xiaonan among others. Continue reading “UFC 288: Sterling outpoints returning Cejudo, after Belal’s big decision win”

UFC

UFC 287: Adesanya regains title with R2 KO in Pereira rematch, after Burns retires Masvidal

Israel Adesanya of Nigeria reacts after knocking out Alex Pereira of Brazil in the UFC middleweight championship fight during the UFC 287 event at...

With his back to the wall and in danger, Israel Adesanya produced a second-round KO win over long-time rival Alex Pereira to regain his UFC middleweight title, after Gilbert Burns beat Jorge Masvidal into submission over 15 minutes before the two-time welterweight title challenger retired in his hometown. Continue reading “UFC 287: Adesanya regains title with R2 KO in Pereira rematch, after Burns retires Masvidal”

Analysis, feature pieces

Questions asked as Colby Covington mooted as Edwards’ next title defence

Colby Covington is seen in attendance during the UFC 286 event at The O2 Arena on March 18, 2023 in London, England.

UFC president Dana White says he doesn’t make fights immediately after cards, but declared former interim welterweight champion Colby Covington is the next challenger for Leon Edwards’ 170lb belt. Considering the 35-year-old’s relative inactivity and underwhelming resume, a myriad of questions have been asked. Continue reading “Questions asked as Colby Covington mooted as Edwards’ next title defence”

UFC

UFC 283: Hill batters Teixeira to become new LHW champ, Moreno ends Figueiredo series with stoppage

Brazilian Glover Teixera competes against US Jamahal Hill during their light heavyweight title bout at the Ultimate Fighting Championship event at...

Jamahal Hill became the first Dana White’s Contender Series graduate to earn UFC gold after a dominant, exhausting five-round decision win over former champion Glover Teixeira, who announced his retirement post-fight. Elsewhere, Brandon Moreno ended his Deiveson Figueiredo series with a third-round TKO before his rival confirmed he’ll be moving up to bantamweight – while there were emphatic victories for Gilbert Burns and Jessica Andrade. Continue reading “UFC 283: Hill batters Teixeira to become new LHW champ, Moreno ends Figueiredo series with stoppage”

UFC

Leon Edwards: Khamzat Chimaev is not the untouchable monster UFC built him to be

Khamzat Chimaev speaks to the media following their UFC 279 win on September 9 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV.

UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards believes unbeaten contender Khamzat Chimaev has been overvalued by the promotion, and in a recent interview with Michael Bisping, said as much as he prepares for his first title defence against former titlist Kamaru Usman in March.
Continue reading “Leon Edwards: Khamzat Chimaev is not the untouchable monster UFC built him to be”

UFC

UFC 283: Gilbert Burns keen to leave judges out, wants emphatic finish vs. Neil Magny on Jan. 21

Gilbert Burns appears at the UFC 282 post-fight press conference on December 10 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV.

After falling narrowly short in a Fight of the Year contender clash against rising star Khamzat Chimaev last April, perennial welterweight contender Gilbert Burns hasn’t been as active as he would have liked – but the experienced Brazilian knows he needs a series of impressive finishes if he wants to earn another title shot and realise his dream of becoming world champion.
Continue reading “UFC 283: Gilbert Burns keen to leave judges out, wants emphatic finish vs. Neil Magny on Jan. 21”

UFC

UFC Orlando: Stephen Thompson refutes retirement talk before Kevin Holland main event matchup

Opponents Stephen Thompson and Kevin Holland face off during the UFC Fight Night ceremonial weigh-in at Amway Center on December 02, 2022 in Orlando,...

UFC welterweight contender Stephen Thompson (#6) may be on a two-fight losing streak, but the two-time title challenger has responded to speculation that he’ll soon retire – so long as his body holds up – with his father the only man who can influence his decision to call it a day.
Continue reading “UFC Orlando: Stephen Thompson refutes retirement talk before Kevin Holland main event matchup”

Archives

UFC Vegas 51: Muhammad stakes claim with disciplined all-round display, overwhelms Luque

Belal Muhammad kicks Vicente Luque of Brazil in a welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on April 16, 2022 in Las Vegas,...

Things came full circle for welterweight contender Belal Muhammad (#6), as he extended his unbeaten streak to eight fights with a composed all-round showing, swarming Vicente Luque (#5) and executing his tactical plan brilliantly against the same man who knocked him out in 79 seconds six years ago. Afterwards, he called out two-time title challenger Colby Covington (#1). Continue reading “UFC Vegas 51: Muhammad stakes claim with disciplined all-round display, overwhelms Luque”

Archives

UFC 273: Volkanovski’s vicious statement, after Sterling and Chimaev edge razor-thin wins

Alexander Volkanovski of Australia punches 'The Korean Zombie' Chan Sung Jung of South Korea in their UFC featherweight championship fight during the...

Alexander Volkanovski produced a striking clinic against the Korean Zombie to retain his featherweight strap with perhaps his best display yet. Prior, bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling bested Petr Yan in their long-awaited rematch and the highly-anticipated Burns-Chimaev matchup exceeded expectations with what quickly turned into a pulsating classic. Continue reading “UFC 273: Volkanovski’s vicious statement, after Sterling and Chimaev edge razor-thin wins”

Archives

UFC 273 Preview: Two title fights, bad blood and compelling matchups to settle

Alexander Volkanovski of Australia interacts with fans and media during the UFC 266 Press Conference at Park Theater at Park MGM on September 23,...

It’s taken longer than expected, but as the saying goes: good things come to those who wait. So, will April 9 prove another successful title defence for Alexander Volkanovski? What about the eagerly-anticipated bantamweight unification battle between Aljamain Sterling and interim titlist Petr Yan, a rivalry left to fester after their controversial ending last March? We will see. Continue reading “UFC 273 Preview: Two title fights, bad blood and compelling matchups to settle”

Archives, Specials

After a productive 2021, Belal Muhammad seizing his chance in flimsy 170lb division

Belal Muhammad has his hands wrapped prior to his fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on December 18, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

After logging a productive 2021 in the Octagon, Belal Muhammad has now entered rarefied air at 170lbs – the welterweight’s top five rankings. Having called out rising two-weight star Khamzat Chimaev as well as a rematch against Leon Edwards after their short-notice date ended with an inadvertent eye poke in March, it feels like the 33-year-old will soon get his wish. Continue reading “After a productive 2021, Belal Muhammad seizing his chance in flimsy 170lb division”

Archives

UFC 265: Vicente Luque expects big rankings boost, if he beats Michael Chiesa

Vicente Luque reacts after his victory over Tyron Woodley in their welterweight fight during the UFC 260 event at UFC APEX on March 27, 2021 in Las...

Placed right in the centre of the UFC 265 PPV main card this weekend, two top-six welterweight contenders clash when former lightweight Michael Chiesa (#5) ends a seven-month layoff against Vicente Luque (#6) on Saturday night – both hoping to improve their winning streaks.
Continue reading “UFC 265: Vicente Luque expects big rankings boost, if he beats Michael Chiesa”