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March 29, 2024

How Conor McGregor Is ‘Gearing Up to Fight’ Again Soon

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: , , — admin @ 9:39 pm

Conor McGregor knows the world is waiting with bated breath to see him fight. Ever since his last pay-per-view all the way back in July 2021, followers from across the world have been scrolling the internet hoping to see a fight announcement from the Irish fighter. That time is finally here, with the former UFC double champion recently confirming he’ll be squaring off against Michael Chandler this summer.

But until then, fans are able to see plenty of McGregor swinging in director Doug Liman’s remake of Road House (now available on Amazon Prime Video), his feature film acting debut, starring as unhinged henchman Knox opposite Jake Gyllenhaal’s brooding hero Dalton. The role takes full advantage of McGregor’s very particular, very honed set of skills, viscerally reminding us why he’s called “The Notorious.”

Men’s Journal sat down with McGregor to discuss Road House, training to take on Chandler, fatherhood, his Proper Twelve whiskey, and how he plans to deploy his brutal left-handed hook once again.

McGregor as the unhinged Knox in “Road House.”

Courtesy Image

Men’s Journal: You’re still a very in-demand fighter. What made this jump into acting the right fit?

I’ve had people trying to get me on board the movie business for a long time now. I’ve been curious, but there’s never been one that was a true fit. I’ve been more focused on the fight business than show business. But this is a fight movie. I was actually brought in by the people at UFC. And to get to act alongside Jake Gyllenhaal was a draw. I’m a huge fan of Jake’s work, so I was honored to be doing this with him. We both have tremendous respect for each other in our respective crafts, so we were on to something really good.

Your character is a new addition to this reimagining. What did you like about getting to play this villain?

Knox is a little crazy, but he’s a cool cat and I like his style. I would say that Jake’s Dalton is actually a bit darker than Knox, so you get a hero with a dark side, and a villain who’s got almost this playful, good side. I think it’s a nice balance. We make a good duo. I also own a roadhouse, a pub, myself in Ireland. So really, I couldn’t say no. I needed to be a part of this.

It all goes back to Ireland. What does it mean for you to be an Irish fighter?

It means to fight for God and for country. That’s my motto. I represent Ireland with my whole heart. I’m proud of my heritage and I’m proud of where I come from. We are known for our toughness and our durability. We are known for approaching the fight game like warriors. I have those qualities and I have them in abundance.

McGregor celebrates after defeating Eddie Alvarez on November 12, 2016 in New York City.

Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

You’ve been a trailblazer for Ireland in MMA, but Irish boxing has a rich history. Did those fighters inspire you in your journey?

Many fantastic Irish boxers. Michael Carruth and Philip Sutcliffe Sr., who is one of my boxing coaches. These are guys who reached very high levels in the sport and in the Olympics. But one in particular was Bernard Dunne who came from my very own Dublin. He brought big-time boxing back to Ireland in a major way. He also promoted the Irish language, the Gaelic tongue. He promoted a thing called cúpla focal, which means “a few words.” He wanted people to learn a few words of their country’s tongue. He came from a Dublin suburb not unlike my own, it has its tough areas. Sure, there are some bad apples, but there are so many great people in these areas that we come from.

How did you start your climb in MMA?

I owe a lot to my mixed martial arts coach John Kavanagh. I looked up to him and have been in awe of what he’s built. He’s a mastermind in the game. There was nothing going on in this MMA world in Ireland when he started his journey. John was staying up nights learning BJJ [Brazilian jiu-jitsu] moves from VHS tapes that he would then teach us. From there, he started to build a team from scratch. This was when he was a blue belt, and he was our highest BJJ practitioner while he was running the gym. But he lifted himself up the whole time, and rose to black belt. Now his gym SBG Ireland just churns out incredible, smooth, classic fighters like butter. 

There probably isn’t a UFC highlight clip used more than your left-handed knockdown of José Aldo. How’d you hone that strike?

I had something pure in me there with that left hand from the beginning, but make no mistake, I was educated with it well. My boxing club, Crumlin Boxing Club in Dublin 12, we called it the “school of excellence” for a reason. I was schooled on how to throw that back hand. I learned all about how to turn the hand like a corkscrew, and bring the knuckle into the strike. Right down the pipe. 

I still practice that punch every day. You need to keep the blades sharp, always. I train every day. I must. For my mental health and to stay dialed. I might wake up in the middle of the night, throwing that left hand punch in the mirror. Just watching the form, perfecting it. I make sure that my middle knuckle and my nose are in line. They are never off.

What about other crucial elements of your fighting style?

I’m not just a left-handed fighter. I’ve had opponents who have made that mistake before, by preparing for a left-handed fighter. You aren’t preparing enough if that’s the work you are doing. And there are people out there who think my left hand has won me all of my belts. What has won my belts is the accuracy of my downward striking. There is a vertical element that comes into play that isn’t in traditional boxing. That’s a discipline in itself. I was able to develop incredibly accurate and stable downward punching in many different positions. So when I would drop the opponent with my back hand, I was able to follow through with this truly precise striking to turn that opportunity into a victory.

And given the belts, I’m sure you’ve learned how to celebrate those moments.

I celebrate daily. I don’t just wait for those championship moments. I celebrate the smallest things. I could wake up one morning and if the coffee is amazing, I’m noticing that. That’s a celebration. I might even say, “This is a lovely coffee we have here.” Of course later in the day, I’m not celebrating coffee, I’m celebrating with a glass of our Proper Twelve whiskey.

Right, another venture. What made you want to step into the spirits world?

My grandfather, God rest his soul, told me that there are two kinds of people in Ireland: There are our master distillers, the makers of the whiskey, and then we have the master drinkers, who enjoy what is made. My grandfather was the latter. He instilled in me that there is no drink like Irish whiskey. That’s how I was raised. I hope to God that some day, on some plane, I get to taste our whiskey with him.

McGregor staring down Jake Gyllenhaal in “Road House.”

Courtesy Image

What does your routine look like these days when you’re in fight camp? How do you start your morning?

My routine has changed over the years. It’s always evolving. The first thing that I take in the morning is salt, lemon, and water. I’ll do my morning vitamins then as well. I have a nutritionist with a doctorate in sports science—shout out to him, Tristin Kennedy. And then I’ll have my breakfast at the time he tells me. It’ll usually be eggs, some sort of protein, or some sort of carbohydrate, fruit, and a micronutrient. And then I’ll have my after-breakfast vitamins.

I’ll do cold-water immersion, either getting into a cold plunge or doing a cold shower. And then I’ll have my first training session of the day. That is followed by lunch, and any business that I need to take care of. During that time I also make sure that I’m resting in some fashion. If I’m lucky, that rest involves spending time with my family. I’ll then get back into the gym later that evening. I take my last bit of vitamins before I go to bed.

Many UFC fans are excited for your return, but you have a lot of demands on your time these days. Where does fighting stand in your priorities?

This life that I’m in, we have the whiskey, the movies, and all of this business is exciting, but I feel an absence when I’m away from my fight team for too long. I need to find ways to be with my team more. I want to be back in the fight game fully. That is what was so great about doing the Ultimate Fighter show. I had to be at the gym. I had to be around fighters.

I have great people working around me [in my businesses]. I want to support them in this work effort, so my sense of duty is the only thing that pulls me from the fight game. But you know we are gearing up to fight time soon. That means isolation. That means motivation. That means being back on my island with my team. I’m excited to get back there.

What’s your No. 1 motivation for getting back in the Octagon?

I love to compete. I’m still eager for a fight. I’m always eager for a fight. I always have been and that hasn’t changed. The children add motivation, there is no question on that. But the fire was already there and has always been there. My kids and my family are set. I don’t need to do this to support them. The businesses have worked out in my favor. If I was only looking at this as a way to make money, then I probably would have left after I beat José Aldo after the first world title.

Speaking of your kids, they’re young, but have you coached them at all in fitness or the martial arts?

I would never force my kids into fighting, or into serious competition, but we will always train martial arts in my family. There is something that happens to a child when they start to study and then begin to understand the martial arts. It teaches you dedication and drive. It teaches you camaraderie and confidence. Those skills that you learn in a martial arts gym will help you achieve everything that you want.

I have been training my older kids in martial arts from day one. I’ve been building them up already. Right now I’m getting some lovely work out of my young boy. He’s loading the bow and arrow from the back hand perfectly. He knows how to roll under a shot and how to counter with accuracy. We’re having fun with it.

Does he have a strong left hook like his father?

My son is actually orthodox, but since he’s young we’re training in both stances right now. You kind of need to be ambidextrous in this day and age. You want to be able to work in both stances. You have to be able to punch from bth sides and kick from both sides. But my younger son Rían, I’m thinking he might be southpaw like myself. But we’ll see what happens.

Conor McGregor preparing for his welterweight bout against Donald Cerrone during UFC246 on January 18, 2020 in Las Vegas.

Steve Marcus/Getty Images

How much have they seen of your fight camps and what life is like leading up to a fight? Or after one?

I remember after I had that injury in the last fight, where I broke the leg. The last time that my children had seen me before I left for the fight, I was able to 360-degree spin and flip-kick through the air. When I got back a month later, I was in a wheelchair. I was nervous about how they’d respond to that. But it really was a teaching moment. Sure, they saw me in a wheelchair, but they also saw me build myself back up. They saw me get strong again. I know that has a powerful effect on them. That’s a great lesson. Because we all are going to face hardships in our life.

How do you feel about the matchup with Michael Chandler?

I feel great at 175 pounds and I feel great at 185 pounds. I’m the only fighter in UFC history to have really high-level knockout victories across three weight classes going up. There was another fighter, Jared Cannonier, who’s done it going down. I’m proud of that. I can go up to the 185-pound weight class. I have been sparring against middleweights my entire fight career anyways.

But now I’ve got a smaller opponent in Michael Chandler. That’s where experience comes in, and I’ve been around every kind of fighter. I’m bringing in bodies to replicate his size and style. He fights orthodox, which will be good for me. I’ve fought a few southpaws back to back. Those fighters had a bit of height to them.

You look like you’ve put a lot of muscle on. Do you enjoy the challenge of transforming your body?

I do enjoy it. Now, you don’t want to yo-yo. You want to stay in a place of strength. You will see some guys leave camp, finish a fight, and just put on all this unnecessary weight. I see fighters who will actually get fat. Nothing against them, but I’ve never gotten fat or checked out that much after a camp. For me, a change in weight just means an altered goal. If I’m putting on weight or if I’m leaning out, I’m doing it because that’s a goal I have. Or it’s going to help me accomplish a clear goal that I have. But there is also an element here that is biology. As men get older, they just get heavier. That’s how it goes. So it’s kind of unnatural to work so hard so get to or maintain a weight class that isn’t true to your body anymore. I know there are fighters in the UFC who do that, and it’s not healthy or good for your performance.

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February 23, 2022

UFC Champion Israel Adesanya on Who He Wants to Fight Next

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: , , , , — admin @ 3:22 am

Israel Adesanya is currently one of the most dominant fighters in the UFC, defending his middleweight title successfully four times. The latest defense came against Rob Whittaker, who he’d knocked out in their last crossing. This time, the win came in the form of a unanimous decision after five rounds at UFC 271. Even though the champion sits comfortably at the top of the rankings, and was a kickboxing champ before that, his star is still rising in the world of mixed martial arts. Not just because of his technically impressive performances, but also the unique energy he brings to the Octagon.

“I’m an entertainer by nature,” Adesanya tells Men’s Journal. That passion for performance beyond the norm and his pursuit of mastering all fighting styles is where his nickname “The Last Stylebender” fits, a reference to Nickelodeon’s animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender. The action cartoon also makes an appearance on his forearm, where he’s the character Toph Beifong tattooed. “I watch anime for the fight scenes, and I try to bring their spectacle to my finishes.”

We spoke with Adesanya about his favorite shows, training camps, brushes with Hollywood, and who he plans to fight next.

Men’s Journal: Going into a title defense where you’ve already beaten the fighter, how do you make sure you aren’t going in the Octagon overly confident?

Israel Adesanya: There’s an element of that you need to address, but there’s also additional urgency there because I really can’t lose to this guy. I’ve already beaten him. I’ve got that motivation to work with, and I push that forward. Even though I’ve been victorious before, I make my pursuit to find a way to do it in a more impressive fashion, if possible.

The knockout you scored on him the first time was pretty flawless. How did you find that moment?

I didn’t even go by our game plan during the first fight we had. For this one I brought back a few old weapons I wanted to use while also upgrading. To be honest, I wish I’d been more fluid in my decision-making this last fight, because there were times when I saw opportunities to take him out. I was feeling very comfortable southpaw, and I should have leaned into that. But in the end, I decided to stick with our original game plan.

When did the fight camp for UFC 271 begin?

This one we started in November of last year and there was a lockdown in Auckland. I used that time to get in the best shape of my life, going into a camp by doing these prison-style workouts with my best friend, Chance. He also used to work as a personal trainer, so he knows what he’s doing. That also meant he had a bit of equipment in the house as well. We set up some TRX bands to use on the doors and sandbags to add to the bodyweight training. I got pretty swole. I rolled that physique right into my camp. I was thicker, more muscular, and had gas for days. During fight camp, I’m working out two to three times a day. I put in a full days work, just like anyone else, but it’s probably a lot more fun than other gigs.

UFC fighters in Octagon
Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker duking it out in the Octagon. Courtesy Image

How strict is your diet during a fight camp?

Everybody knows I’m one of the healthiest people in the world, vegan and gluten-free. Just kidding! I like to enjoy life. Food is one of the great equalizers in this world, and one of the things I most look forward to when I travel around the world. I love going to eat when I’m in America—the more disgusting and sweet the better. I’m glad I’ve got the metabolism I do, because if I didn’t we’d have a problem. I try to eat relatively healthy when I’m in a training camp, but the last few weeks I really dial it in. I cut back on the Uber Eats. On fight week I work with Jori from The Fight Dietitian. He knows what to put in my food to optimize me completely. On the actual day of the fight I tend not to eat. I want to earn my kill.

Is there a tried-and-true training exercise you use during camp?

Hill sprints. There’s a street in Auckland where we’ve been going for over a decade called Air Street. That hill has created so many champions. It’s a hill that can’t be beat, nobody has. It takes a minute and a half to run up it. And you have three minutes total to get back down. Whatever time you have left is your rest time. I‘ve gotten close to hitting the record there, but never actually made it to the top in time. I did it with ten seconds left and nobody has beaten that yet. It’s a fucked up hill, man. It’s a soul destroyer. We ended up having to do these sprints in camp one summer, and it was pain. I just take my shirt off at the beginning now, because I know that one round in I’m going to be absolutely drenched.

The practice is about pushing yourself. It’s not about beating anyone else’s time. It’s about beating yourself and your own doubts. It’s good to train those mental states—how you can push through those boundaries. I know exactly when I hit my first wall. The first hurdle is getting past that. The second wall comes by this driveway, and I look forward to ways to dig deep. That’s the energy I need going into the final round in the UFC.

Any new techniques or disciplines you’ve adopted to improve your game?

I recently started to do breath work training with my guy Dave Wood back home in Auckland. He’s from Piha and has a very unique way of thinking. He gave me the red pill [so to speak]. My eyes were opened to how the way we breathe changes how we perform. There are a lot of people out there who breathe constantly through their mouths and don’t even realize it, even athletes. So once he showed me there was a new level to be unlocked, I went to gear three. You can see it during the fight but also between the rounds, when my eyes are closed, just focused. That’s probably the most recent game-changer. I’ve been working with him closely for about nine or ten months.

How did that translate to how you fought this last battle?

I was more present in this fight than I’ve been in any fight previously. I had a few flashes later in the fight, a few milliseconds though, but that was about it. You can’t lose focus in a fight at this level. You can’t. A momentary lapse of judgement can cost you greatly. That’s a quick way to wake up looking at the lights. But because I was more present in this fight, there was no chance I was going to lose.

Given that you’re the champ, there’s a lot riding on your next fight. How do you make sure your body is taken care of?

I’m all about doing prehab instead of rehab. I have a massage therapist, physiotherapist, and chiropractor I see once a week during fight camp. I still feel very young, but I’m not as young as I once was. I don’t recover the same. It takes a lot more time. I can’t party all night then show up fresh to the gym in the morning anymore. I have to take care of my bones and my flexibility consistently. I use the Theragun on my legs, especially before hill sprints.

What do you look forward to most after a victory?

My shower. There’s so much stimulus after a battle in the Octagon, getting dragged here and there. First you’re off to get a medical check, then to sit down with the media. Once that’s over I’m getting into the shower with my bare essentials. That’s when everything else in the world is stripped away. For me that space is like the white room in The Matrix when Neo is first tapped into his training. The next thing I absolutely need is get a great meal. I want to try the local cuisine, or whatever is being talked about in the area.

Courtesy Image

What do you say to people who are calling for a third fight between you and Rob Whittaker?

What for? The only people who are calling for another fight between me and him are people who want to see me lose. I’ve already beaten him twice. I knocked him out the first time, and bested him the last. I’m ready for the next chapter.

Do you have your sights set on someone in the division?

I’m ready to fight Jared Cannonier next. I think he did great in his last fight and I already told him at the weigh-ins he better do so because I need some new challengers. I’m excited for some new blood in the Octagon with me. I know he wants the work, too. I have a rough game plan as far as what I’m going to do to beat him. I know my coaches are watching videos and ready to come with their own ideas.

You’re undefeated in your division, but who gave you the biggest competition?

Kelvin Gastelum was the greatest challenge I’ve had, because at the time he posed the greatest threat. He made me dig deep to that other level. I knew I had that fighting spirit in there and this fight unlocked that. Going into the fifth round, I felt the most adversity, because I knew we were tied up in that moment. That moment it’s all about who wants it more. I’m not sure you can see in the video, but I mouthed to him, “You can’t beat me.” I was prepared to die. What a glorious death that would be. I wasn’t just ready to die, I was also ready to kill.

There have been a few impressive technical knockouts already, but do you have a move or finisher you’re hoping to land in the future?

I’m trying to snatch someone’s neck to be honest. I’ve done it a few times in the past, like when I snatched Brad Tavares and Kelvin Gastelum’s neck. I could’ve done it in my last fight with Rob Whittaker, but I just didn’t trust my instincts unfortunately. I’ve been drilling submissions during my sparring sessions and they’ve been coming to me easy. Someone’s going to be caught with one soon, I’m telling you.

You’ve racked up some cool supporters, like The Rock. What was it like to have him send you a little carb load before your fight?

It was awesome. He sent me Brique French Toast, aka The Rock Toast. It’s so thick…with those coconut flakes. I want to have more right now. I feel like I’m going to have to meet him a couple more times for it to really sink in. I grew up watching him fight in the WWE, back in that Attitude Era. Back when he was fucking guys up on the mic, then fucking them up in the ring with the Rock Bottom. I met him in New York once, and he’s just a cool guy who’s very level headed. The young Izzy still freaks out that I’m just talking to The Rock like it’s nothing.

Feels like you’re getting more and more connected with Hollywood. Do you have any plans of doing action movie roles?

Back in June, we had a really big offer come in that would’ve been right up my alley. But unfortunately I didn’t have an O-1 visa, which is what I needed to work. That being said, I’m ready now if the right project comes around. It’d be exciting to square up against Tony Jaa from Ong-Bak. Keanu Reeves would be great, too. The Rock, too. I would like to see an onscreen match between us, maybe CGI’d.

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January 13, 2022

UFC 2022 Preview: Rising Stars, What to Watch, and More

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: , , , — admin @ 11:23 pm

The UFC will promote its first event of the year this Saturday, putting an end to a four-week lull. Saturday’s event, an under-the-radar Fight Night headlined by featherweight contenders Calvin Kattar and Giga Chikadze, isn’t exactly a blockbuster. But it will kickstart UFC 2022, which has a packed schedule of fights that likely won’t slow down until this time next year.

As MMA fans the world over wait for the UFC’s hectic calendar to get underway, we decided to put together a quick primer for the year ahead. Here’s everything you need to know about the UFC this year.

UFC 2022 Preview: What to Watch This Year

Recapping 2021

The UFC promoted 43 events in 2021, including 13 star-studded pay-per-views. By the time the year was done, UFC president Dana White was proclaiming it the best in the company’s history.

“It was the best year we ever had,” White told the Las Vegas Review-Journal earlier this month. “We’re popping on every metric you can imagine. Sponsorship is through the roof. Social media, our numbers on pay-per-view, our numbers on television, arena records. This business is on fire.”

Now the stage is set for an exciting 2022. The UFC has twelve divisions: eight for men and four for women. Those divisions are currently ruled by twelve undisputed champions and two interim champions. (You can view the full rankings on the UFC website.)

Rising Stars to Watch

The UFC’s champions might be the ones driving pay-per-view sales, but it’s the up-and-comers who keep the promotion’s product interesting year after year. The UFC 2022 roster is packed with intriguing prospects, and some are already being hailed as future champions. Here are a few rising stars to keep an eye on.

Ian Garry

Ireland’s Ian Garry (8–0) is already drawing comparisons to another Irishman you may have heard of: former two-division UFC champ Conor McGregor. In fact, after winning his UFC debut with a first-round knockout of Jordan Williams at UFC 268 in November, Garry actually borrowed one of McGregor’s most famous soundbites.

“A wise Irishman once said before me—he stepped in this very cage and he said, ‘We’re not here to take part, we’re here to take over,’” Garry told Daniel Cormier in his post-fight interview. “This is the takeover part two.”

Alex Pereira

Brazilian middleweight Alex Pereira (4–1) generated a ton of hype heading into his Octagon debut at UFC 268 in November. The 34-year-old is an experienced kickboxer, and he even holds a knockout victory over reigning UFC middleweight champ Israel Adesanya in kickboxing competition.

To say Pereira lived up to the hype would be an understatement. The Brazilian ended up giving us one of the best knockouts of 2021 as he decimated his opponent, Andreas Michailidis, with a second-round flying knee.

Pereira is likely still some distance from a title shot, but it feels like only a matter of time before he’s in that conversation.

Erin Blanchfield

The women’s flyweight division is currently home to several promising young fighters, but none of them have a brighter future than 22-year-old Erin Blanchfield (8–1). After a successful run through Invicta, an all-women’s MMA league, she made a successful UFC debut in September by defeating the more experienced Sarah Alpar in a unanimous decision. Blanchfield then picked up another win before the year was out, dominating fellow prospect Miranda Maverick to an impressive unanimous decision triumph.

Blanchfield has yet to debut in the flyweight top 15 but will probably do so if she wins her next fight. From there, she’ll be just a few wins away from a showdown with dominating flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko.

Paddy Pimblett

Paddy Pimblett (17–3) has been a favorite among hardcore fight fans for a years, but he didn’t make his UFC debut until September 2021. The 27-year-old British lightweight couldn’t have made a louder statement in his debut, as he weathered some early adversity to turn the lights off on Luigi Vendramini with a swarm of first-round hooks.

Pimblett previously won the Cage Warriors featherweight championship in Europe. It won’t be easy to repeat the feat in the UFC lightweight division—arguably the toughest division in the sport—but many believe the Brit can pull it off.

Storylines to Watch

Conor McGregor’s Crossroads

Conor McGregor (22–6) remains the biggest star in MMA, but his credibility is hanging by a thread. The Irishman is riding back-to-back stoppage losses to Dustin Poirier, the second of which left him with a broken leg. He’s now down to 2–3 in his last five fights.

McGregor’s superstardom means he can take more losses than most fighters. Even so, he’s not immune to the effects of a prolonged losing streak. If the 33-year-old hopes to remain a legitimate player in the sport that made him famous, he needs to win his next fight.

It remains to be seen when he’ll fight next, but he recently told his Twitter followers that he hopes to be sparring by April and back in the Octagon soon thereafter.

Francis Ngannou’s Future

UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou (16–3) is set to headline UFC 270 on Jan. 22. He’ll be taking on the division’s interim champion Ciryl Gane—who happens to be his former training partner.

Every UFC title fight is important, but this one is particularly significant for Ngannou. The 35-year-old French-Cameroonian is in the midst of a heated contract dispute with the UFC, and he’s angling for more money and the freedom to moonlight as a professional boxer.

If he defeats Gane, his negotiating power will skyrocket. If he loses, he can wave goodbye to the contract he’s hoping for. He’s gambling on himself, and time will tell if it pays off.

Redemption for Amanda Nunes

Amanda Nunes (21–5) looked invincible until UFC 269 in December, when she ran into Julianna Peña. Despite entering the cage as a gargantuan betting favorite, the 33-year-old Brazilian was battered to a second-round submission loss, surrendering the UFC bantamweight title in the process. It was a shocking end to one of the most dominant championship reigns in UFC history.

The good news for Nunes is that she’s expected to get a chance at redemption against Peña soon. Her previous dominance all but guarantees her that opportunity. Since UFC 269, there has been rampant speculation that Nunes wasn’t at her best that night—even UFC president Dana White contributed to the rumors. Peña, meanwhile, is adamant that she’s Nunes’s superior.

The rematch should answer those questions one way or the other.

Khamzat Chimaev’s Rise

Chechen-born Swede Khamzat Chimaev (10–0) took the MMA world by storm in 2020 and 2021 with four seemingly effortless victories across the middleweight and welterweight divisions. His last, a first-round submission defeat of Chinese welterweight contender Li Jingliang, was particularly impressive, and it earned him the No. 11 spot in the welterweight rankings.

At this point, it feels inevitable that Chimaev will end up challenging for the UFC welterweight title, which is currently the property of Kamaru Usman. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Chimaev contend for the middleweight title sometime thereafter. Of course, both of those things depend on his continued success in the Octagon.

Is Chimaev the real deal or a flash in the pan? 2022 should tell us a lot about the UFC’s newest superstar.

Fights We Hope to See This Year

Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz III

Conor McGregor (22–6) and Nate Diaz (20–13) have been tied with a win apiece since 2016. Fans have been clamoring for a tie-breaking trilogy fight ever since McGregor won their second encounter by majority decision, yet the UFC has thus far kept it off the schedule.

At the start of 2022, the trilogy makes as much sense as ever. McGregor is riding back-to-back losses to Dustin Poirier. Diaz came up short against Leon Edwards and Jorge Masvidal in his last two fights. Both guys are in desperate need of a win and low on options. Why wait any longer?

Alexander Volkanovski vs. Max Holloway III

UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski (23–1) is 2-0 in fights against Max Holloway (23–6), the division’s former champ, but both victories were very competitive decisions. The second was particularly close—in fact, it was downright controversial.

Today, it’s abundantly clear that Volkanovski and Holloway are the two best featherweights in the UFC. What isn’t clear is which of them is better. A third fight would answer that question.

The UFC actually tried to book that bout for UFC 272 on March 5, but the fight fell through after Holloway was injured. Hopefully the promotion takes another stab at the matchup once the former champ is recovered.

Francis Ngannou vs. Jon Jones

There was a period in early 2021 when all signs pointed to a titanic showdown between Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones. Ngannou, arguably the hardest puncher in combat sports today, had just captured the UFC heavyweight title with a star-making knockout of Stipe Miocic. Jones, the most dominant fighter in light heavyweight history, had recently vacated the division’s throne with ambition to move up to heavyweight.

Unfortunately, the fight fizzled out before it ever got off the ground. Considering Ngannou’s ongoing contract dispute with the UFC and Jones’ legal troubles outside the cage, it’s doubtful they’ll fight each other any time in the near future. But if we’re really lucky, we might just see it before the year is out.

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December 12, 2021

It’s on: Whittaker/Adesanya II set for Super Bowl weekend (L-R) Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya.

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The biggest fight in Australian UFC history has been slated for the biggest weekend on the US sporting calendar.

Robert Whittaker is set to fight on the biggest weekend of the American sporting calendar, with his UFC 271 blockbuster against Israel Adesanya coinciding with NFL Super Bowl festivities.

Two years since losing his UFC middleweight crown to Adesanya before 60,000 fans Melbourne, Whittaker now gets the ultimate shot at redemption in a hyped title headliner set for Houston, Texas on Sunday February 13 (AEDT).

Apart from being the biggest fight in Australian MMA history, the event will also take place on the same weekend as Super Bowl LVII in California.

UFC officials finally confirmed the Trans Tasman superfight on Sunday morning, with Whittaker revealing he was “blown away” to be sharing such an iconic sporting weekend.

While the Sydneysider confirmed to News Corp weeks ago that he had signed on for the rematch, he said the announcement would now see a change in not only his approach to daily training sessions, but also his fight mindset.

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“And I had absolutely no idea about the Super Bowl stuff until you told me,” Whittaker said.

“To have the fight be part of a weekend like that, I’m blown away. It’s exciting.

“Obviously I’ve known about the dates and so on for a far while now. I signed my (bout agreement) a month ago.

“But now that the fight has been announced by the UFC, it just makes everything more real.

“When you hear the UFC announcement, when you see the releases going up on socials and the date being confirmed, the venue being confirmed, it’s a great part of the overall journey.

“And it changes the way I start training, the way I think about the fight — everything becomes real.”

It has now been a tick over two years since Adesanya knocked Whittaker out in front of almost 60,000 fans at UFC 243 in Melbourne.

Since then however, the fighter dubbed Bobby Knuckles has not only won three straight, or shown huge improvement in his striking game, but also made major adjustments to how he prepares between fights.

UFC 271 also shapes as a massive opportunity for several other Trans Tasman fighters, with the event also set to include breakout Australian female fighter Casey O’Neill, Sydneysider Jacob Malkoun and Aucklander Carlos Ulberg.

There is also a chance Adesanya’s training partner Mike Mathetha, aka Blood Diamond, will make his anticipated UFC debut on the same card.

Elsewhere, Whittaker is also tipping American Dustin Poirier to win the UFC lightweight title against Brazilian champ Charles Oliveira at UFC 269 in Las Vegas.

“I love the guy,” Whittaker said of Poirier. “I love the way he’s persevered, love how he has overcome set backs, stayed true to his path and now here he is once again fighting for the title.

“I think he gets it done, too.

“Dustin is just so resilient. He’s been fighting at the highest level, in the biggest fights, for a long tine now.

“He’s tough and, skill wise, can strike and bang with the best of them.

“The only place I’d be worried about is in the scramble.

“Olivera is so good at locking up those submissions, has such good submission instincts and knows when to invest into them.

“So that’s where I would be wary.

“But I think Dustin Poirier gets it done.”

Originally published as UFC 271: Robert Whittaker hyped to tackle Israel Adesanya on NFL Super Bowl weekend

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November 24, 2021

The 10 Best UFC Fights of All Time, Ranked

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: , , , — admin @ 9:10 pm

The UFC has been delivering the highest level of mixed martial arts action available for close to 30 years. In that time, the Las Vegas-based organization has promoted thousands of fights. Some of those have been pretty forgettable, plenty of others have been good, and a select few have gone down as the best UFC fights of all time.

The list of iconic UFC fights seems to get longer every year, and 2021 has been no exception to that rule. This year gave us epic battles like Alexander Volkanovski vs. Brian Ortega, Petr Yan vs. Cory Sandhagen, Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Chandler, and Max Holloway vs. Calvin Kattar. Even so, there are a few fights that stand head and shoulders above the rest. We’ve done our best to narrow that list down to 10.

Keep reading for our roundup of the best UFC fights of all time, all of which can be viewed legally on UFC Fight Pass, the promotion’s official streaming service. Although some of these bouts are over a decade old, they’re still sending shockwaves through the MMA universe.

The Best UFC Fights of All Time

10. Nate Diaz vs. Conor McGregor, 2016

Few MMA-related lists are complete without some mention of McGregor (for better or worse), and this one is no exception. He’s known for making knockout wins look effortless, but in the summer of 2016, the Irish superstar was dragged into a grueling, 25-minute battle with his chief nemesis, Nate Diaz.

Diaz and McGregor had already fought a few months earlier. Diaz shocked the world in that fight by handing the Irishman his first UFC loss with a second-round submission. Heading into the rematch, anticipation couldn’t have been higher.

The second fight was a nail-biter, and the two welterweights engaged in a razor-close battle through all five rounds. Diaz landed slightly more significant strikes, connecting on 166 attempts compared to McGregor’s 164, and also racked up 5:50 minutes of control time on the mat. McGregor, however, was behind the more decisive moments of the matchup: He dropped his rival three times.

Needless to say, the judges had a tough job on their hands. In the end, they handed McGregor a majority decision win, meaning two judges scored it in his favor, and the third scored the fight a draw.

Just like that, the two superstars were tied 1–1. The grounds for a trilogy have existed ever since, but it hasn’t happened yet. Don’t be surprised if that finally changes in 2022.

9. Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar, 2005

MMA is better now than it ever has been before. A good fight today is objectively better than a good fight from the early days of the sport, as training practices have improved dramatically and fighters have become more skilled as a result. Even so, we’ve got to give it up for the classics, and none hold a candle to the 2005 light heavyweight fight between Forrest Griffin and Stefan Bonnar.

Griffin and Bonnar met in the finale of the first season of The Ultimate Fighter reality show, a time when the UFC was struggling to break into the mainstream. The two light heavyweights helped the promotion do just that: The three-round slugfest was a dazzler, and Griffin ultimately won by decision.

It was hardly a technical fight, but it didn’t matter. The aggression and grit of both men left jaws on the floor, and it helped introduce a whole new crop of fans to the UFC.

8. Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Johnson, 2017

Robbie Lawler is the only fighter to appear twice on this list, but Justin Gaethje nearly did, too. Over the course of his incredible career, the American lightweight has participated in a long list of unforgettable battles, many of which arguably rank among the best of all time.

But the best fight of Gaethje’s legendary career occurred in 2017. After an impressive reign as the World Series of Fighting lightweight champ, he made his Octagon debut opposite Michael Johnson. Gaethje was unbeaten at the time, and he was among the most hyped fighters in MMA. Yet Johnson very nearly spoiled the undefeated star’s debut by pushing him to the brink of consciousness in the early going.

In a display of incredible toughness and heart, however, Gaethje surged back for a second-round knockout win—bolstering his resume with not only a classic fight but one of the sport’s great comebacks.

7. Robbie Lawler vs. Carlos Condit, 2016

From the moment it was announced that Robbie Lawler would defend his welterweight title against Carlos Condit in early 2016, MMA fans expected an incredible fight. The two welterweights were both regarded among the most exciting fighters in the sport, and with a title on the line, drama seemed guaranteed.

In the end, the fight surpassed all expectations. The pair engaged in a wild striking battle for the full five rounds, bombing each other with the kind of heavy artillery that could have easily wiped out lesser fighters.

Lawler won the fight via split decision, but many fans felt Condit should have gotten the nod—and that verdict is still debated today. One way or the other, the fight was one of the best ever.

6. Cheick Kongo vs. Pat Barry, 2011

Cheick Kongo in 2015
Cheick Kongo in 2015 Gregory Payan/AP / Shutterstock

A fight doesn’t need to last multiple rounds to be great. Heavyweights Pat Barry and Cheick Kongo proved that when they collided in the Octagon in 2011.

This one got crazy quickly. Minutes into the fight, Barry sent Kongo crashing to the canvas with a crackling right hand, and once he had the Frenchman hurt, he didn’t let up. Kongo absorbed punch after punch, clinging to consciousness by his fingernails—to the point that commentator Joe Rogan prematurely declared, “It’s over.”

It was not.

Just when it looked like Kongo couldn’t possibly take another punch, and the referee looked ready to intervene, the Frenchman surged back and floored Barry with a punch of his own. A few punches later, it was over—this time for real, as Barry stared up at the Jumbotron with his back on the floor.

Kongo had snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in one of the most dramatic one-round fights of all time. Seriously, watch this one. You can do it in less time than it takes to warm up a plate of leftovers.

5. “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung vs. Dustin Poirier, 2012

Next time you’re trying to introduce somebody to MMA, show them the 2012 featherweight fight between “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung and Dustin Poirier.

This fight was a lot like Costco—it had everything. From wild striking exchanges, to blindingly fast scrambles, to slick submission attempts, every weapon in the MMA arsenal was on full display. It was also capped off by one of the rarer submissions in MMA: Jung tapped Poirier with a fourth-round D’arce Choke.

For some reason, this one seems to be forgotten when fans debate the best fights of all time, but make no mistake: It belongs on this list.

4. Weili Zhang vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk, 2020

Weili Zhang and Joanna Jedrzejczyk’s 2020 strawweight title fight isn’t just one of the best women’s bouts of all time, it’s one of the best fights ever, period.

At the time of the fight, China’s Zhang was the reigning champion. She was on a staggering 21-fight win streak and looked to make it to 22 against Jedrzejczyk, the most dominant champ in the division’s history.

The two strawweight stars got to work early and didn’t stop until the final bell: They threw a dizzying 783 strikes combined. The 25-minute firefight took an immense physical toll on both women; Zhang’s face was purple with bruising and Jedrzejczyk, more notably, sustained a gruesome hematoma that made her forehead swell up like a balloon.

It was a dazzling display of technique and toughness, and a must-watch for anybody looking to get acquainted with the best fights in UFC history. A rematch also feels inevitable.

3. Jon Jones vs. Alexanders Gustafsson, 2013

By the time Jon Jones stepped into the cage with Alexanders Gustafsson in 2013, Jones was already considered unbeatable in the eyes of many fans. Since winning the light heavyweight title with a TKO win over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in 2011, the American had defended it six times against an impressive procession of skilled fighters: Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Lyoto Machida, Rashad Evans, Vitor Belfort, and Chael Sonnen.

After those performances, Gustafsson just didn’t seem to have a shot.

In the end, however, the unheralded Swede gave Jones the toughest fight of his entire career. He matched the dominating champion with his footwork and shocked onlookers by taking him down. It was a classic example of an underdog rising to the occasion.

Unfortunately for Gustafsson, the judges ultimately awarded Jones a unanimous decision win, but the fight was good enough to earn both fighters a place in the MMA history books.

2. Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, 2011

Dan Henderson and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, two of the greatest light heavyweights in MMA history, came up together in PRIDE but never met in the now-defunct Japanese promotion’s ring. After migrating to the UFC, they finally came face-to-face in the Octagon in 2011—and their fight was absolutely worth waiting for.

By that point, both light heavyweights had proven they possessed ferocious knockout power and superhuman durability, and both displayed those traits in spades in the Octagon. The two legends cudgeled each other for five wild rounds and repeatedly pushed each other to the brink of defeat. Miraculously, both men were still conscious by the time the fight concluded.

In the end, Henderson was awarded a unanimous decision win, but the fight was close enough that the pair were slated for a rematch in 2014. That time around, Henderson picked up a more decisive win, stopping his rival with a vicious volley in the third round.

1. Robbie Lawler vs. Rory MacDonald, 2015

Robbie Lawler and Rory MacDonald’s first fight, which the former won by split decision in 2013, was good, but by no means a classic. Yet when the two welterweights met again in 2015, this time with Lawler’s title on the line, it turned out to be one of the best fights ever—maybe even the best outright.

The two welterweight stars wasted no time painting the Octagon floor red. By the time the fourth round was winding down, both men were nearly unrecognizable due to the bruising and cuts they’d sustained, and the intensity inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena couldn’t have been higher—thanks in large part to Lawler giving MacDonald a murderous stare right as the round concluded.

In the end, Lawler put a stamp on things in the fifth round, flooring MacDonald with a fist to the nose, but it was the kind of fight with no real losers: an all-time classic that still holds up today.

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November 12, 2021

Volkanovski’s fight plan to save St George Illawarra Pictured is new UFC Featherweight title holder from Australia Alex Volkanovski before his win against Max Holloway at UFC 245 in Las Vegas. Picture: Richard Dobson

Filed under: Outdoors — Tags: — admin @ 1:13 am

UFC champ Alex Volkanovski has unveiled his fight predictions for 2022, along with a surprise for Dragons NRL players.

Alexander Volkanovski wants a blockbuster UFC trilogy against Max Holloway in March next year – and will have some of St George Illawarra’s biggest names forming part of his preparation.

Speaking with News Corp this week, UFC featherweight champ Volkanovski not only unveiled his fight predictions for 2022, but also plans for transforming the Dragons into a finals force.

The 33-year-old and head coach Joe Lopez have both been added to the Dragons coaching staff for next season, with the pair keen to upset bookmakers who have labelled the Red V $51 premiership hopes — the competition’s rank outsider.

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Volkanovski said as part of his work with the club, he would get players into his Freestyle Fighting Gym at Widang, where UFC superstar Israel Adesanya could also be training before Christmas.

The champ is also tipping Holloway to beat Yair Rodriguez in their Las Vegas title eliminator this Sunday, which expects will then make for their trilogy fight in March.

As revealed in this week’s Fight Club column, Volkanovski says Holloway should be “begging” him for a third bout early next year, adding: “Nothing is bigger than that shiny gold belt I know he wants”.

It has now been two years since the Wollongong product stripped ‘Blessed’ of his UFC crown, which he then defended again last year in a contentious split decision win between the two.

While Holloway has hinted at having “bigger options” next year – including a fight with Irish megastar Conor McGregor – Volkanovski insists a third fight will be made between the two rivals in the first third of the year.

Asked about his plans for the Dragons, where he and Lopez have been employed by head coach Anthony Griffin to work on the side’s defence, the fighter said: “I can’t give too much away, but it’s happening.

“We want to give our insights, some little tricks that we believe can help.

“And I believe with their (the coaching staff’s) knowledge and them explaining things to us while we then give our knowledge, I think we can definitely make something that is very useful.

“It’s still early days … but we will be picking each other’s brains.

“There will be a lot of things we see that will definitely help them. We’re even looking at bringing the players down to some of our sessions – for conditioning, motivation stuff like that.”

Lopez agreed, with one of Australia’s most esteemed MMA coaches adding: “We’ve already had a session with the players and there was something in particular I picked up straight away.

“Rather than simply showing the players stuff and then letting them get stuck in – where things get lost in translation, or due to ego — we want to break everything right down, teach them how to do everything slow and right.

“Develop good habits.

“Obviously these guys know footy 100 times better than I ever will. But when it comes to all those little things required to put a man on the ground, where to put your hands, your feet … we want to drill that over and over and over so the right way becomes all they know.”

Asked about Holloway this week, Volkanovski said: “You hear Max trying to act like ‘we’ll see what happens’.

“Well, hey, you’re zero and two against me.

“You should be begging.

“You think you’ve got bigger things? Think you can insult me?

“Fine.

“But nothing is bigger than the shiny gold belt that I know he really wants. That I took off him and he can’t get.

“So he’s going to act like he has bigger plans.

“But the UFC don’t have bigger plans.

“The UFC want the winner of (Sunday’s) fight fighting me.”

Originally published as UFC: Alex Volkanovski’s shock plan for St George Illawarra and Max Holloway

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November 5, 2021

Covington explodes in wild UFC face off Dana White was firced to step inbetween Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington.

Filed under: Outdoors — Tags: — admin @ 12:33 am

UFC rivals Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington almost come to blows at chaotic press conference ahead of UFC 268 showdown.

In the end, it was the champ who broke first.

Could you blame him?

Probably not.

Yet as Kamaru Usman, the UFC welterweight king, company’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter, and a man now edging closer to greatest of all time status stared down arch rival Colby Covington in New York on Friday, it was he who quit on protocol and shoved his outspoken rival backwards.

Cue madness.

“You’re dead mother … er,” shouted Covington, who had arrived for the UFC 268 press conference some 40 minutes earlier decked out in a suit coloured pink, blue and paired with giant chain, gold sunglasses and no shirt.

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“You’re gunna die. You are never going to fight again.”

Which is some statement, sure.

Yet earlier, with microphone in hand? Depending on your take, it was better – or worse – again.

With the lippy American challenger, a fella who has waited two years for this Sunday’s rematch (AEST), not only spouting his usual rhetoric about the champ being a coward, a drug cheat and fake, but also taking aim at Usman’s father Muhammad — who served 10 years in prison for multiple counts of health care fraud.

Elsewhere, ‘Chaos’ likened one journalist, dressed in pink, “to a bottle of Pepto Bismol”, demanded another do 10 push ups, while also praising police, denouncing president Joe Biden, even cuddling Chinese fighter Zhang Weili, seated to his left.

All of which, however, was essentially a side note to his continually trying to bait a champion who has now racked up 14 straight wins inside the UFC – or only two off record holder, Brazilian legend Anderson Silva.

“Hey Marty,” Covington shouted, “is your daddy the jailbird coming on Saturday night?

“Breathe,” the champ replied.

But Covington, he didn’t.

Not for all 40 minutes this thing went.

“Do you want me to call his parole officer and make sure he can come along?” Covington continued. “Do you want me to make sure?

“I feel so bad for Mrs Usman.

“Think about it. She’s got a cheating ass son, she’s got a scammer ass husband, it must be shitty in that household.”

At which point, Usman reminded his rival about the small matter of breaking his jaw – a claim Covington has continually denied — when the pair first challenged for the UFC title two years ago.

“What?” Covington responded. “The only thing broken was you broke your daddy out of jail.”

To which Usman then continued: “Oh really? OK. Why did you go back to your corner at the end of the third round and tell them ‘I think my jaw is broken’?

“Because you wanted them to save you. You wanted a way out.”

Of course, history now shows Covington would fight on, broken jaw or not, until the fifth, when a sustained, and violent, flurry of punches from Usman would eventually see referee Marc Goddard wave everything off.

But this press conference? For a time, there seemed no end.

At one point, Usman was asked to size the real estate he now owned in Covington’s head.

“I’ve been living up there, taking a s … up there, p … ing up there in his head,” the champ laughed. “And Saturday night, I’ll separate him from his consciousness.”

Then Usman again: “As a person, he’s a rotten piece of shit.

“And I can’t believe his father lets him put this persona on.”

To which, Covington responded: “It least my father wasn’t in prison, scamming everyone.

“All these blue collar Americans, you’re going to scam them, take millions of dollars. Did you pay back all his fees? You need to pay that s … back.

“Despicable.”

But still, the champ wasn’t done.

“I’m looking at your dad over here the corner,” he said. “And I can just tell he’s embarrassed each and every time you open your mouth.”

It was the only time Covington never fired straight back.

Originally published as UFC 268: Colby Covington tells Kamaru Usman “you’re dead motherf … er” in fiery face off

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October 30, 2021

‘I have chills’: Records broken in UFC fairytale The 42-year-old has done it.

Filed under: Outdoors — Tags: — admin @ 11:53 pm

Age is no barrier. Glover Teixeira at 42 years old has stunned the UFC world, becoming the second-oldest champion in history after a stunning submission victory over Jan Blachowicz.

Age is no barrier and now at 42 years old Glover Teixeira is the new UFC light heavyweight champion.

With his stunning submission victory over Jan Blachowicz, Teixeira became the second-oldest champion in history and oldest first-time champion.

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This was it for Teixeira.

Back in 2014 he unsuccessfully challenged then-champion Jon Jones for the UFC light heavyweight title.

Now, 2,744 days later, he got his final shot and against Blachowicz, who was making his second title defence and on a five-fight win streak.

So was Teixeira though but still few could believe he was even here.

Yet here he was, making history and at 42 years old.

“Never give up on your dreams, no matter what people say, don’t listen to them,” he said after the fight.

“I’m breaking the rules, 42 years old. And I’m gonna keep breaking the rules.”

Teixeira got the advantage in the first round with an early takedown and tried for similar on two occasions in the second but Blachowicz was able to stay upright.

The fight started to open up when Blachowicz landed a hard uppercut, with Teixeira hitting back soon after with a hard left hook.

The challenger though executed his gameplan with a rear-naked choke to force Blachowicz into submission, leaving the ESPN commentary team stunned.

“Teixeira has done it,” Jon Amik said in commentary.

“Unbelievable. It took him so long to get here, he is now the second-oldest UFC champion in history.”

Daniel Cormier called it a “miracle” for Teixeira, who is still at the top of his game after 20 years in MMA.

“Tremendous,” he said.

“To watch a man after all this time, never giving up on himself after 20 years, inspiring stuff. Do you believe in miracles? We saw one tonight.

“I’m almost in tears.”

Paul Felder simply described it as “Hollywood stuff”.

“This is a movie playing out in front of us,” he added.

“He brought the fight and dominated. We can’t say there was anything lucky about it.”

As for what is next for Teixeira, he called out Jiri Prochazka after the fight.

“He’s the next one,” he declared.

“Come up here buddy, you next.”

It capped off what was a highly entertaining night of action in the cage, with plenty of drama earlier in the morning.

FULL CARD RESULTS

Main Card

Glover Teixeira def. Jan Blachowicz via submission (rear naked choke) — light heavyweight title

Petr Yan def. Cory Sandhagen via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)

Islam Makhachev def. Dan Hooker via submission (kimura)

Alexander Volkov def. Marcin Tybura via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Khamzat Chimaev def. Li Jingliang via submission (rear naked choke)

Magomed Ankalaev def. Volkan Oezdemir via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Prelims

Amanda Ribas def. Virna Jandiroba via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Zubaira Tukhugov def. Ricardo Ramos via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Albert Duraev def. Roman Kopylov via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-27, 29-27)

Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos def. Benoit Saint Denis via unanimous decision (29-26, 29-26, 29-26)

Michal Oleksiejczuk def. Shamil Gamzatov via TKO

Lerone Murphy def. Makwan Amirkhani via KO

Andre Petroski def Hu Yaozong via submission (head and arm choke)

Tagir Ulanbekov def. Allan Nascimento via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)

Originally published as ‘I have chills’: Records broken in UFC fairytale

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October 6, 2021

Khabib doubles down as ring girls war just won’t die Octagon Girls Red Dela Cruz, Kristie Pearson, and Wang Jingjing (Photo by Zhe Ji/Getty Images)

Filed under: Outdoors — Tags: — admin @ 9:48 pm

Khabib Nurmagomedov has doubled down on his attack on ring girls after a female fighter tried to put the UFC legend in his place.

Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has continued his attack on ring girls, saying there is “no reason” for them.

In August the 33-year-old described UFC ring girls as “the most useless people in martial arts”.

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It led to his bitter rival Conor McGregor poking fun at Nurmagomedov on Twitter, as well as famous ring girl Arianny Celeste blasting his comments.

But Nurmagomedov is refusing to change his opinion and isn’t going to apologise for his views.

Speaking to RT Today, the MMA legend said: “Everybody has their own views on something.

“For example, a couple of months ago someone spoke about my own promotion, Eagle Fighting Championship (EFC), and asked why there are no ring girls there.

“I said it is because, in my opinion, there is no reason (for them).

“Some people don’t agree with this, but who cares? I don’t care because I have my opinion.”

For decades, women have walked around boxing rings and MMA cages between rounds to inform those in attendance of the upcoming stanza. However, the practice has come under scrutiny in recent years, with some labelling it archaic and outdated.

Nurmagomedov’s stance doesn’t sit well with fighter Valentina Shevchenko, who posed for photos with ring girls after her win over Lauren Murphy at UFC 266 last month, then blasted the Dagestani.

“Beautiful women is a decoration of any event,” she said. “I want people to know that, and no one has the right to say they are useless, because they are in the place where they have to be.”

Reinforcing her message, Shevchenko captioned an Instagram post with the ring girls: “Beauty will save the world.”

Some of the UFC’s most well-known ring girls returned fire in the wake of Nurmagomedov’s criticism. Celeste, who has been with the promotion since 2006, weighed into the debate with a lengthy message to her 3.3 million Instagram followers in September.

“For 15 years we have been more than just ring girls — we have dedicated time in promoting UFC and showing love and time to our diehard fans through touring the world and personal appearances,” Celeste wrote.

“And while the world is very different right now, I can still feel that energy and love every time we have a show with an audience.

“It’s taken me 15 years of hard work, dedication, and time to be: A bad a** independently wealthy female; A real estate investor and owner of not just 1 but 3 homes/properties … and a female who is not afraid to take risks and build for my future.

“You can call us useless, but to people like me who have worked this hard, it slips right off my shoulders. My life is too good to be unhappy.

“You don’t have to like me, but you will respect me.”

Luciana Andrade was another who stood up for her role in the UFC, saying ring girls provide so much more to MMA than some people realise.

“People spend way too much time and energy arguing over others’ lives and choices. UFC is both sport and entertainment, and brand ambassadors (aka ring girls) serve not just to ‘inform rounds’ but to represent the brand when and where needed,” Andrade wrote on social media.

“I’ve been proudly/happily working as an OG (Octagon girl) for almost 8 years now and can only thank UFC for all the doors that keep being open to me. I also LOVE to keep proving haters wrong — yes, it’s possible to be a model while also studying, working and investing in other areas.

“I had people calling me stupid (remember the ‘do nothing b****es’ era? Women supporting women didn’t always exist in this industry) while I was literally using this opportunity and income to pursue a Masters in Law, learn other languages, improve myself. Sometimes you just have to laugh.

“If one thing, all this exposure, free hate and lots of judgment made us all ‘grow’ thicker skin – it’s 2021 and I refuse to let people *try to* control my life, personal decisions and/or tell me what I should do for a living.”

With John Hutchison, The Sun

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October 1, 2021

Disturbing video after UFC star’s weight loss spark grave fears Aspen Ladd looked worryingly shaky. Photo: Twitter.

Filed under: Outdoors — Tags: — admin @ 9:24 pm

The fight world watched on in horror as Aspen Ladd stripped off her clothes then almost collapsed after a weight-cut gone horribly wrong.

Aspen Ladd’s fight against Macy Chiasson at UFC Vegas 38 this weekend has been cancelled after distressing scenes at the 26-year-old’s weigh-in.

At her first attempt, Ladd weighed in at 141.5 pounds (64kg) for the bantamweight bout — 5.5 pounds (2.5kg) over the 145 pound (61kg) limit. She took her clothes off and stripped down for her official attempt as UFC officials brought out a wall to shield her from view, but she still came in a touch heavy at 137 pounds (62kg).

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Fight fans were troubled by what they saw at the weigh-in as Ladd was shaking and looked visibly unsteady on her feet, at one stage almost collapsing before she was helped by officials.

Respected MMA journalist Ariel Helwani tweeted: “Aspen Ladd should not fight tomorrow. That was extremely troubling. Common sense has to prevail here. What in the world.”

Fellow MMA reporter Alexander K Lee said it was a “truly scary weigh-in scene with Aspen Ladd this morning” while TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter added: “Aspen Ladd has been standing on the scale for 3-4 minutes, looking weak and even shaking at times as they are unable to register her weight.

“They are asking her to lift her arms. The last time that she did, she nearly toppled over … That was troubling to watch.”

Ladd later took to Instagram to explain what went wrong.

“Fight is off. Again. All my fault,” she wrote. “Straight up started my period 2 days back and made this cut absolutely miserable.

“Did the best I could, hit 137, the scale situation was a mess because the last thing I wanted was to bleed in front of the media.

“The fight wasn’t pulled, my opponent then decided she would rather not go through with it, as is her right. I’m going to get slammed regardless, so let it begin.”

In a follow-up social media post, Ladd apologised to Chiasson, the UFC and her fans.

“There are times when you think that you do everything right and then mother nature comes into play but bottom line is you’ve got to prepare for anything and everything,” Ladd wrote.

“I thought that I had.”

Ladd has been out of the Octagon for nearly two years and has had multiple fights cancelled during that time because of injury and weight troubles.

Before a 2019 clash with Germaine de Randamie, Ladd was shaking on the scales and later revealed the “brutal” toll of trying to shed enough kilos in time.

In 2018 the American missed weight by nearly 1kg for her bout with Leslie Smith, prompting the fight to be cancelled.

Her latest worrying weigh-in sparked calls from the UFC world to move up a division to featherweight (145 pounds or 65.8kg) because bantamweight is clearly proving too much of a stretch.

Bronsteter tweeted: “Aspen needs to start fighting at 145.0lbs. How many more of these scary weigh-in incidents can she have?”

Artist Josh Keyes wrote: “Aspen Ladd needs to make changes to her training camp, her coaches and herself. Enough is enough.”

Writer Elias Cepeda added: “Does Aspen Ladd have to die for her team, the UFC, and athletic commissions to start paying more attention to her weighing in issues and health?”

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