Alex Pereira and Zhang Weili reigned supreme as two new champions were crowned at UFC 281 during a memorable PPV card that exceeded expectations last weekend, with seven first-round finishes and surprise results galore – as well as a Fight of the Year contender at lightweight.
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With no UFC card for fans to digest this past weekend, I look back at the five things we learned from May’s electric UFC 274 PPV card – where one championship was controversially stripped on the scale beforehand, another title fight changed hands and plenty more happened besides. Continue reading
Khabib Nurmagomedov’s protege, Islam Makhachev, has long been tipped to capture UFC lightweight gold. Yet this weekend while preparing for his second main event, it’ll be another instance where he’s fighting down to the level of short-notice competition in a bullish Bobby Green after the eighth withdrawal or cancellation since signing with the promotion in 2015. Continue reading
Regardless of who you ask, Dustin Poirier is the UFC’s overwhelming uncrowned champion and Dec. 11 in Las Vegas will be his title coronation. Charles Oliveira, who won the lightweight belt six months prior vs. Michael Chandler at UFC 262, is relishing the chance to silence that noise – making his first title defence and heading into 2022 with a whole host of contenders circling. Continue reading
UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman made the fifth defence of his 170lb title with a back-and-forth, competitive decision win over Colby Covington (#1) in their much-anticipated rematch, making it a perfect night for trainer Trevor Wittman after wins for Justin Gaethje (#2) in a lightweight title eliminator as well as Rose Namajunas defending her strawweight strap. Continue reading
Thursday’s promotional press conference was energetic with bad intentions in equal measure, as expected, but UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman knows he needs to make clear improvements – just as he did in the rematch with Jorge Masvidal – against an increasingly determined Colby Covington if he’s to make the fifth defence of his 170lb strap this weekend. Continue reading
On a rare weekend overshadowed by Bellator’s featherweight title main event, this is far from a sexy main event on paper but Uriah Hall (#9) vs Sean Strickland (#11) feels like a middleweight matchup with implications aplenty for both – especially considering the latter has won four straight and will be targeting the top guns should he pass this latest acid test at 185lbs. Will he? Continue reading
28 fights and eleven years after his UFC debut, Charles Oliveira made good on his promise to leave victorious – rallying from a knockdown and guillotine choke attempt to knock out Michael Chandler in the second round, winning UFC lightweight gold after Khabib Nurmagomedov’s retirement last October. Beforehand, there were big wins for Beneil Dariush and Edson Barboza. Continue reading
Dana White has finally thrown in the towel on his stance to try convincing undefeated lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov (29-0) out of retirement for one more fight, with ESPN reports confirming an in-form Charles Oliveira (#3) will next face three-time Bellator lightweight champion Michael Chandler (#4) in the UFC 262 headliner on May 15 for a vacant belt. Continue reading
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After earning one of the biggest wins of his career by avenging his 2014 loss with a second-round knockout victory, Dustin Poirier had plenty to say – about the magnitude of this win over Conor McGregor, his unhappiness pre-fight while stressing newcomer Michael Chandler shouldn’t be next for a title shot: as an undisputed lightweight belt is all that eludes him now.
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Conor McGregor suffered the first knockout loss of his professional career overnight, as Dustin Poirier exacted revenge seven years after their first meeting in 2014. Afterwards, the former two-weight world champion spoke to the press in the UFC 257 post-fight press conference and had plenty to say – from praise for the main event winner, to Khabib Nurmagomedov and next steps. Continue reading
Dustin Poirier (#2) avenged his defeat to Conor McGregor (#4) on the Irishman’s Octagon return with an impressive second-round KO win, after Michael Chandler put the lightweight division on notice by blasting #6 ranked Dan Hooker inside a round during the UFC 257 co-main event. Continue reading
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