Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
Mark Chamberlain is ranked in the top-10 by three of the four major recognised world sanctioning bodies, unbeaten with two stoppages on Riyadh Season cards this year and plots a third on home soil to kick off a busy five-fight undercard preceding Joshua-Dubois as 96,000 will find their way into Wembley for a sellout show. Sam Noakes speculation still lingers but he doesn’t care. Continue reading “Noakes noise persists but Chamberlain could care less, before Padley showdown”
Continue reading “Cordina’s complaints are warranted, but now stuck in limbo between two weights”
Islam Makhachev outstruck Dustin Poirier on the feet, and gave the three-time title challenger a familiar sense of deja vu as Khabib watched on after beautifully transitioning to a D’Arce choke submission midway through the final round of their tense, entertaining lightweight championship clash. Then, he doubled down on his ambitions to become a two-weight world titlist post-fight.
Continue reading “UFC 302: Makhachev masterful as he scores R5 sub title win vs. spirited Poirier”
He came close with a guillotine choke against Khabib Nurmagomedov during his first title shot five years ago, and would’ve felt even closer before succumbing to defeat the same way – a round earlier – against Charles Oliveira in 2021. Now, Dustin Poirier’s final chance to rewrite legacy comes against Khabib’s prized pupil, with the man himself set to be in the corner this weekend. Continue reading “UFC 302: Poirier’s final push for gold ends here, but will Makhachev make him 0-3?”
Almost three months after his R2 KO defeat by upcoming title challenger Dustin Poirier at UFC 299, #13 ranked lightweight contender Benoit Saint-Denis has spoken of his desire to climb the ladder and targets two fights in Europe by year’s end. UFC 302 sees Poirier have his third shot to clinch championship gold on Saturday, and plenty is at stake for the highly-regarded veteran….
Continue reading “UFC 302: Saint-Denis itching for summer return, makes Makhachev-Poirier pick”
Sam Noakes didn’t extend his knockout streak but bossed proceedings from start-to-finish against esteemed former European lightweight champion Yvan Mendy in their York Hall main event to unify British, Commonwealth and European titles at 135lbs – the first to do so since Dave Charnley in 1961 – as manager Francis Warren hinted at big plans for the 26-year-old afterwards.
Continue reading “Noakes notches career-best win, outboxes Mendy to become new European champion”
Having previously stated an openness to face English lightweight Paddy Pimblett, the asking price has gone up for Renato Moicano after his second-round recovery stoppage win over Jalin Turner saw the bullish Brazilian rise into the top-10 at 155lbs on a weekend where there was plenty of change across many divisions. With two victories in two months, he doesn’t want to stop there. Continue reading “Activity now key for Moicano as recovery win sees him ranked #10 at lightweight”
Alex Pereira made the first defence of his light-heavyweight title, avenging teammate and close friend Glover Teixeira’s punishing five-round defeat vs. former titlist Jamahal Hill in the UFC 300 headliner to cap an unforgettable night’s action from Las Vegas after contrasting championship victories for strawweight queen Zhang Weili and new BMF titleholder Max Holloway.
Continue reading “UFC 300: Pereira flattens Hill to retain 205lb title as Weili and Holloway win big”
Former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway competes at lightweight for the second time in his career this weekend, fighting #1 contender Justin Gaethje for the latter’s BMF title at UFC 300. Given the risk-reward and ever-changing landscape at 145lbs, Holloway could’ve chosen another option – but welcoming this risk is emblematic of the man many have loved through it all, win or lose. Continue reading “Max Holloway aware of the risks in Justin Gaethje clash, but that typifies who he is”
Dustin Poirier’s comeback win to dismiss rising contender Benoit Saint-Denis at the weekend did exactly what he hoped it would: not only restore the winning feeling and rebuild confidence after his stunning second-round KO loss to Justin Gaethje last summer, but gain momentum in a delicate lightweight division without a clear #1 contender for Islam Makhachev’s championship gold too. Continue reading “Poirier pushing for Makhachev title shot in June, after his gutsy Saint-Denis display”
Former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier has been applauded for taking on one of the division’s fast rising contenders in Benoit Saint-Denis tomorrow. Not much movement has occurred since his stunning second-round knockout defeat by Justin Gaethje last summer, but he knows he can’t afford to lose another non-title matchup at this delicate stage of his career. Continue reading “UFC 299: Dustin Poirier vs. Benoit Saint-Denis a worthy co-main, given the stakes”
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