Martial Arts News

Ilia Topuria doesn’t want to drag out his MMA career.

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Topuria recently shared some significant career plans during an interview on the Spanish radio show El Partidazo de COPE. The UFC featherweight champ firstly revealed that he is most likely done with the 145-pound division. Topuria also confirmed that he plans to move up to lightweight.

Ilia Topuria says he's moving up to lightweight 😳

Interviewer: "Is it possible that we have already seen your last featherweight fight?"

Ilia: "Yes, for sure."

Interviewer: "You are moving to lightweight"

*Ilia nods*

(via. @partidazocope)pic.twitter.com/1i5V4PIb79

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) December 9, 2024

Lightweight champ Islam Makhachev puts his belt on the line against Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 311 on Jan. 18 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. The winner of that fight is unlikely to return by April or May, which is Topuria’s preferred timel…

Dana White exited #UFC310 with RIZIN president Nobiyuki Sakakibara pic.twitter.com/GFvOvfiDsT

— Nolan King (@mma_kings) December 8, 2024

Though UFC 310 wasn’t a cross-promoted event, there were some elements that gave Saturday’s card a little bit of a different feel.

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That started with the main event, where former Rizin Fighting Federation bantamweight champion Kai Asakura was given a flyweight title shot against Alexandre Pantoja in his Octagon debut. Though Asakura had his moments in the early going, he ultimately succumbed to a rear-naked choke from his Brazilian opponent at the 2:05 mark of the second round. There’s no shame in coming up short against Pantoja, who is one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the sport today. UFC CEO Dana White came away impressed with what he saw from Japan Top Team representative in limited action.

“There are two sides to this story. You take a guy like Asakura, who came into the…

Ciryl Gane shows an X-ray of his foot injury after the Alexander Volkov fight 😳

“It wasn't just my toe, but also both metatarsals that gave way at the start of the first round. Needless to say, there was no foot left, but we didn't give up and fought with them.”

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📸 @ciryl_gane… pic.twitter.com/wpqatZ9b0K — Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) December 9, 2024

As he indicated after the bout, Ciryl Gane was hindered early on in his rematch against Alexander Volkov at UFC 310.

Gane revealed in a social media post on Monday the extent of the injuries he suffered on Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. In addition to a broken toe, “Bon Gamin” also apparently injured two metatarsals in his foot. The Frenchman told Joe Rogan in his post-fight interview that the toes were broken in the opening stanza.

“It wasn’t only the big toe but also the two metatarsals that gave out on me at the beginning of the first round,”…

👀Alex Pereira believes Jon Jones will beat Tom Aspinall if they fight:

“Some people say Aspinall this, Aspinall that but it comes down to experience. Jon Jones is a seasoned guy, he’s been there so I think he wins”

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🎥@tntsports 🔹 pic.twitter.com/r9Um4slfvt — Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) December 8, 2024

Alex Pereira believes Jon Jones can get the better of Tom Aspinall.

Jones returned to action after a three-year hiatus and made quick work of Ciryl Gane to win the vacant heavyweight title at UFC 285 in March 2023. He was then scheduled to defend his throne against Stipe Miocic at UFC 295 in November 2023 but was forced out with an injury.

Aspinall went to beat Sergei Pavlovich via knockout in a short-notice interim title fight on the same card. However, Jones remained adamant on preserving his matchup against Miocic, whom he beat via a spinning back kick knockout at UFC 309 last month. Meanwhile, Aspinall d…

Hey danaI am the man who will carry on the will of the great Conor McGregorI'm going to be UFC championKai Asakura, for example, is a champion who can only fight 3 rounds.I am the first Rizin champion to fight 5 rounds.I'm going to make the UFC great!@danawhite pic.twitter.com/xluCy56ZO7

— 平本蓮 REN HIRAMOTO (@renhiramotoXX) December 8, 2024

Japanese star Ren Hiramoto is rallying for an Ultimate Fighting Championship contract.

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Hiramoto recently urged UFC CEO Dana White to give him a contract, vowing to be the next superstar of the promotion. The runner-up in the 2017 K-1 lightweight tournament, Hiramoto is currently competing in the Rizin Fighting Federation featherweight division. The 26-year-old is 4-3 as a pro with one finish to his name.

Hiramoto recently called for a UFC deal while dismissing recently-signed UFC fighter Kai Asakura, who was given an immediate title shot against flyweight champ Alexandre Pantoja …

Merab got into ANOTHER altercation with a fan after Aljamain Sterling lost to Mosvar Evloev. 👀 #UFC310 pic.twitter.com/MBeKMmvQkZ

— InsideFighting (@InsideFighting_) December 8, 2024

Merab Dvalishvili believes his altercation with a fan was orchestrated by future opponent Umar Nurmagomedov and his team.

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Dvalishvili was in attendance at UFC 310 on Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. “The Machine” cornered his friend and teammate Aljamain Sterling, who dropped a decision against Movsar Evloev on the preliminary card.

Dvalishvili got into an altercation with a fan as he was walking backstage with Sterling after the fight. Footage shows the fan initially grabbing Dvalishvili by the arm while recording him. Dvalishvili’s teammate, Dennis Buzukja, was later seen throwing punches at the fan while security restrained Dvalishvili. This isn’t the first time that Dvalishvili has been involved in this type of incident, as…

While Shavkat Rakhmonov went the distance for the first time in his mixed martial arts career on Saturday night, his ability to prevail in that type of fight means big things could be on the horizon for the Kazakhstan native.

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Rakhmonov took a closely contested unanimous verdict over Ian Garry in the UFC 310 co-main event at the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night. “Nomad” had finished his first 18 opponents, but getting the victory — by any method — was the primary goal in this instance.

“Who doesn’t want to finish fights?” Rakhmonov said through a translator at the UFC 310 post-fight press conference. “I did everything in my power to do so, but Ian had a great preparation, but I believe next fight I will continue my finishing streak.

“… For me it’s most important to get the win, and I’m happy I won.”

Rakhmonov is now 7-0 in UFC competition, and after his latest triumph, a showdown with reigning welterweight champion Belal Muhammad looms in the …

Alexander Volkov isn’t sure what the cageside judges were seeing during his rematch with Ciryl Gane at UFC 310.

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Volkov dropped a controversial split-decision to Gane in their featured heavyweight clash at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night. While their first meeting in June 2021 was a clear-cut win for the Frenchman, Volkov appeared to make the necessary adjustments the second time around. When the final verdict was announced, even Gane appeared perplexed by the ruling, as he tried to exit the Octagon without even giving a post-fight interview.

“I saw the eyes of his team, and they didn’t expect this,” Volkov said during his post-fight media scrum (video via MMAjunkie.com). “They didn’t expect the decision, and he was upset, so my respect to Ciryl Gane. He wasn’t like a guy who just walked out from the cage after the decision, because he didn’t feel this, too. Nothing bad to my opponent, I just don’t accept with the commission. I can…

Moments after Alexandre Pantoja vanquished former Rizin bantamweight king Kai Asakura in the UFC 310 headliner, the reigning flyweight champion made interesting use of his microphone time in the Octagon.

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“This is the level, the UFC level that’s here so high. You think some Japanese [fighter] going to come here and take my belt? No. When the Octagon is locked, this is my town, this is my city,” Pantoja said in his post-fight interview.

“He doesn’t fight anymore. He retired this year. But this is something for you Demetrious Johnson,” Pantoja added. “I’m the GOAT here. If you want to prove you’re the GOAT, come back.”

Johnson was a longtime UFC flyweight champ before he was traded to ONE Championship for Ben Askren in 2018. “Mighty Mouse” continued his decorated career in the Singapore-based promotion — winning a title at 135 pounds — before announcing his retirement this past September. Johnson is widely regarded as the sport’s all-time best …

Alexandre Pantoja defended his turf in impressive fashion, and he received some extra compensation for his work as a result.

The reigning flyweight champion earned a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus for his second-round submission of Kai Asakura in the UFC 310 headliner on Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. After an entertaining first round, “The Cannibal” took his foe’s back in a scramble and eventually secured a rear-naked choke, rendering the former Rizin Fighting Federation title holder unconscious at the 2:05 mark of Round 2.

Elsewhere, Vicente Luque took home a $50,000 “Peformance of the Night” check by making short work of Themba Gorimbo in a preliminary welterweight showdown. The Kill Cliff FC representative rocked his foe with a right hook and shortly thereafter, locked in an anaconda choke to put Gorimbo to sleep just 52 seconds into the opening stanza.

In other action, Chase Hooper garnered a $50,000 “Performance of the Night”…

Alexandre Pantoja was once again unwilling to make room for anyone else at the top.

The American Top Team-trained Brazilian put promotional newcomer Kai Asakura to sleep with a palm-to-palm rear-naked choke, as he retained the Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight crown in the second round of their UFC 310 headliner on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Asakura (21-5, 0-1 UFC) blacked out 2:05 into Round 2.

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Champion and challenger traded barbs throughout a compelling first round. Pantoja (29-5, 13-3 UFC) threw more and landed more while also mixing in a takedown. Asakura responded with a few thudding knees to the body and inside leg kicks but could not keep pace with “The Cannibal.” Pantoja set off a scramble in the second round, jumped to the back, locked down a body triangle and focused all his efforts on the neck of the two-time Rizin Fighting Federation titleholder. He slipped the choke in place, switched grips and let his squeeze do the…

Sherdog's live UFC 310 coverage will begin Saturday at 6 p.m. ET. BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Nzechukwu (-620), Brzeski (+400)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:

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Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:The Official Result BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Hooper (-1150), Guida (+650)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round: Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:The Official Result BETTING PREV…