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Deiveson Figueiredo: I Chose Rob Font Out of Three Potential Opponent Options

After 14 fights in the flyweight division, former champion Deiveson Figueiredo will make his bantamweight debut on Saturday against Rob Font at UFC on ESPN 52 in Austin, Texas.

In an exclusive interview with Sherdog.com, Figueiredo revealed that he held his entire training camp with Henry Cejudo in the United States.

"Actually I left Brazil and started my camp before the UFC decided my opponent,” the Brazilian said. “The UFC gave me three options, and among them I chose Font, who had already said that he wanted to welcome me to the 135-pound division. Because of that I chose him.”

According to Figueiredo, the fact that he didn’t need to spend his whole camp on a strict diet to reach 125 pounds made it one of the best camps of his life.

"It's much better to do a camp happy and healthy,” he said. “Besides that, the whole atmosphere here in Fight Ready is really good. Cejudo is surrounded by amazing people. To complete …

Beneil Dariush Claims Arman Tsarukyan Is a Tougher Fight Than Dustin Poirier

Beneil Dariush recently revealed that Dustin Poirier was a potential opponent for his upcoming main-event assignment.

Dariush (22-5) is slated to take on up-and-coming contender Arman Tsarukyan (20-3) in the main event at UFC on ESPN 52 on Saturday in Austin, Texas. “Benny” claims Poirier’s name was also mentioned as an alternative opponent, but the booking never came to fruition. Dariush recently told Submission Radio:

“They called me for that and they said, ‘Hey, would you be willing?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, of course. My weight’s good, I’m obviously in camp right now, I can do a fight with Dustin Poirier.’ And they said, ‘Okay, we’ll get back to you.’ It didn’t materialize and then they called me again and they said, ‘Okay, what about Dustin Poirier for December 2?’ I said, ‘Okay.’ Then I just waited and it didn’t materialize.”

“Afterward they said they were going to stick with Arman and it’s gonna be five rounds. I never hear the other side. I’…

Dana White Teases Superfight Not Involving Conor McGregor

While Dana White guarantees that Conor McGregor will return next year, he also claims to have a blockbuster matchup in the works that does not involve the Irish superstar.

McGregor (22-6) hasn’t fought since suffering a broken leg in a trilogy clash against Dustin Poirier in July 2021. While “Notorious” has since featured as Michael Chandler’s (23-8) rival coach on “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 31, their clash which was expected to follow hangs in the balance. Following his re-entry into the United States Anti-Doping Agency drug testing pool, McGregor was targeting a return in April 2024. However, according to his coach, John Kavanagh, McGregor is unlikely to make a return before the summer.

Nevertheless, UFC CEO White recently assured fans of McGregor’s 2024 return without finalizing the name of an opponent in an appearance on the Full Send Podcast. White also took the opportunity to point out Chandler's ability to sit out without competing for a …

Demetrious Johnson Ranks Himself Second on MMA GOAT List

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Demetrious Johnson believes his accomplishments are more than enough to place him among mixed martial arts’ all-time elite.

“Mighty Mouse” ranked himself No. 2 on his own personal GOAT list, behind only current UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones.

“For my No. 1, I have Jon ‘Bones’ Jones. That is the only man that I’ll put ahead of me because this man, I feel like every single time he has been inside the cage he could just destroy his opponent however you want it,” Johnson said on his YouTube channel. “He also has wins by knockout, putting people to sleep, decisions, everything on the list.”

Meanwhile, Johnson ranked Georges St. Pierre at No. 3 and Anderson Silva at 4. The former UFC flyweight champion and ONE Championship 135-pound king explained his logic for ranking himself second.

“Nobody has been able to do what I’ve been able to do in the flyweight division or in any division,” Johnson said. “Eleven consecutive title def…

After UFC Austin Exit, Dan Hooker Undergoes Surgery for Broken Arm

Dan Hooker recently went under the knife for the injury that led to his withdrawal from the UFC on ESPN 52 co-main event.

“The Hangman” broke his arm during sparring shortly ahead of his proposed lightweight showdown against Bobby Green. As a result, Jalin Turner stepped in to face Green on Saturday at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas.

“Surgery done and dusted this morning,” Hooker wrote Monday on Instagram. “Not my first and definitely won’t be my last time under the knife… Can see how this isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I’m built for this game. Just a scratch baby, can’t wait to scrap again.”

Hooker has dealt with a series of setbacks in recent months. That includes his last outing at UFC 290, where he suffered a broken arm in a victory over Jalin Turner. According to the City Kickboxing representative, that injury never fully healed.

“My hunger to compete got the best of me. I was too eager to fight under the lights again and put …

Alexander Volkanovski Provides Positive Update on Sparring Following KO Loss

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It appears to be all systems go for Alexander Volkanovski as he begins preparations to face Ilia Topuria in the UFC 298 main event on Feb. 17.

The UFC featherweight champion revealed in a post on his YouTube channel that he has begun sparring after clearing concussion protocols. Volkanovski suffered a head-kick knockout loss to Islam Makhachev in a lightweight title bout at UFC 294 on Oct. 21. The City Kickboxing standout lobbied for a quick turnaround in the aftermath of the defeat, which raised concerns that he might be coming back too quickly.

“Just had my first spar,” Volkanovski said. “So, obviously had to follow all the protocols, concussion, back to training. So, followed all the protocols to a tee, no symptoms, kept it rolling, kept it rolling. Felt real good. No knocks, no symptoms still. So, we’re rolling. We’re going to keep this baby rolling. Very, very happy with it.

“Very thankful for the team behind me … and a…

Michael ‘Venom’ Page Discusses PFL-Bellator Merger, ‘Flirting’ With UFC

One of MMA’s most intriguing free agents is weighing his options in the wake of his former promotion’s recent high-profile merger.

Michael Page (21-2), former Bellator MMA welterweight title challenger and longtime star, announced free agency earlier this year after parting ways with his former organization. Known for a plethora of highlight-reel knockouts, Paige was immediately courted by the Ultimate Fighting Championship. However, Page claims things haven’t moved beyond courtship with the UFC, though he recently had his first in-person interaction with its CEO, Dana White. “MVP” said on ‘The MMA Fan Show’:

“I wish I could say for certain that we have or we haven’t. Honestly speaking, we’re not there yet. There’s still a few hurdles we need to jump over, but like I said, we’re flirting.”

Page’s former promotion was recently acquired by the Professional Fighters League, with some of its biggest stars on hand at last week’s PFL World Champi…

Joseph Pyfer Plans on Catching ‘Reckless’ Jack Hermansson Inside the Distance

Joseph Pyfer foresees a changing of the guard in his upcoming clash with Jack Hermansson.

Rising middleweight prospect Pyfer (12-2) is brimming with confidence going into the first main event assignment of his UFC career against promotional veteran Hermansson (23-8) on Feb. 10. Pyfer, who broke his arm during a Dana White's Contender Series appearance in 2020, claims that most of his confidence stems from staying injury-free. “Bodybagz” recently said on The MMA Hour:

“A lot of my issues are injuries man. F***ing since 24 years old I’ve just been injury prone. And sometimes things get to my head or they affect my training and preparation. It doesn’t stop me, I’ll just bite through the pain sometimes but it’s like man, at a certain point I’m gonna hurt myself again real bad. So you know, I’ve been trying to take care of my body, take care of my health.”

That aside, Pyfer also doesn’t think his upcoming opponent is great in any particular aspec…

Paddy Pimblett Believes Tony Ferguson Fight is a ‘Lose-Lose’ Situation

Paddy Pimblett views his upcoming fight against Tony Ferguson as a lose-lose situation, regardless of the outcome of the bout.

Pimblett will bring a six-fight winning streak into his matchup with Ferguson — who is on a six-bout skid — at UFC 296 on Dec. 16 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Despite their starkly contrasting records in recent times, some fans expect “El Cucuy” to defeat Pimblett, especially after the Liverpudlian’s controversial decision win over Jared Gordon in his last outing back in December 2022.

Pimblett believes he’s going to receive flak from fans regardless of the outcome of his clash against Ferguson. “The Baddy” noted that despite Ferguson having lost only to elite opponents in his recent skid, the former interim lightweight champ is being viewed as well past his prime. Hence, Pimblett would be slammed for losing to a washed-up Ferguson if he lost, and a win would also be dismissed on similar grounds.

“I don’t even…

Michael Morales Wants To Fight Ian Garry: ‘There’s Nothing I Like About Him’

Michael Morales doesn’t like anything about fellow welterweight contender Ian Garry.

Morales previously called out Garry after his unanimous decision win over Max Griffin at UFC on ESPN 48 in July. Reiterating his callout in a recent interview, Morales shared that he wants to fight Garry due of his dislike for the Irishman.

“Ian Garry, Ian Garry. If I get the opportunity to fight him, I’ll welcome that,” Morales told MMAjunkie.com. “He’s someone I want to fight. If I get the opportunity to fight him, that would be great. I really dislike that guy. There’s nothing I like about him, but it’s not whatever I like or dislike, it’s whatever the UFC wants for me next. So if I get the chance to fight him, then thank you very much, but if it’s not him, I also welcome it. Whoever is next can get it.”

In addition to his personal dislike for Garry, Morales also remembers “The Future” mentioning him as a potential opponent in the past.

“He said some…

PFL Founder: Larissa Pacheco Likely Next Opponent for Bellator Champ Cris ‘Cyborg’

It appears that Larissa Pacheco, not Kayla Harrison, will be Cristiane Justino’s first opponent on the heels of Professional Fighters League’s acquisition of Bellator MMA.

Pacheco became the first two-division champion in PFL history when she defeated Marina Mokhnatkina in their featherweight final on Friday night in Washington, D.C. “Cyborg,” meanwhile, is coming off a first-round stoppage of Cat Zingano in a 145-pound title defense at Bellator 300.

Although Harrison has long been mentioned as an opponent for “Cyborg,” PFL founder Donn Davis believes it makes more sense for Pacheco to face Justino first. While Bellator will continue to run separately in 2024, it was announced that there will also be a champions vs. champions event featuring both promotions. That could be the ideal time to book Pacheco vs. Justino. In the meantime, Harrison vs. “Cyborg” isn’t off the table — it will just be planned for a later date.

“It’s champ vs. champ,” D…

ONE Championship to Hold ‘Record Number of Events’ in 2024, Return Focus to MMA

Further details regarding ONE Championship’s plans for its 2024 schedule have come to light.

In an interview with the South China Morning Post, ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong revealed that the Singapore organization will return its focus to mixed martial arts following a 2023 that saw a heavy emphasis on muay thai and other combat sports.

“You’re going to see MMA back in full force,” Sityodtong said. “We have our U.S. stadium shows, we have Qatar, Japan. In the Philippines we have one or two shows.

“ONE Friday Fights and the muay thai product are very much on a firm footing now. We’ve laid the groundwork and feel very comfortable it’s running on autopilot, and now we’re able to scale up. We’ve firmly established we have the No. 1 striking property on the planet. The focus will be sharply back onto mixed martial arts.”

If all goes as planned, ONE will have a busy itinerary in the coming year. Sityodtong revealed that Christian Lee will return to a…

Video: UFC Champ Sean Strickland Holds Man at Gunpoint in Front of His Home

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— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) November 27, 2023

UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland has posted a video of him holding a man at gunpoint in front of his Las Vegas home.

In the footage from Ring.com, a man is initially seen stumbling into Strickland’s driveway before crouching in between two cars. The UFC veteran — along with another individual in a red shirt — follow the man into the street, where Strickland appears to shove him to the ground while pointing a gun in his direction. “Sit the f—k down,” Strickland can be overheard saying. Sirens also appear to be flashing in the background.

According to Strickland, he initially thought the man was trying to steal his car. Instead, Strickland claims that the man was involved in a domestic violence incident where he “was drunk stomping out a girl.”

“The guy was drunk stomping out a girl, a security guard seen it, he jumped in his car and drove off,” …

Erin Blanchfield Calls for Interim Flyweight Title Fight Against Manon Fiorot

Erin Blanchfield expects her next fight to be against fellow contender Manon Fiorot — preferably for the interim UFC women’s flyweight title.

Both Blanchfield and Fiorot are undefeated in six UFC appearances, making them the top two female contenders in the promotion at 125 pounds. However, the title picture is complicated due to the status of reigning flyweight queen Alexa Grasso and ex-champ Valentina Shevchenko. The two rivals battled to a split draw in their rematch at Noche UFC, and the controversy regarding the scorecards in that bout left the door open for a trilogy. The third meeting could be delayed after both Grasso and Shevchenko recently underwent hand surgeries.

Blanchfield is fairly certain that a matchup against Fiorot is next for her, but she wants it to have interim title relevance if the Grasso-Shevchenko trilogy is delayed.

“Yeah, it’s definitely stalling. I feel like I’ve had a couple No. 1 contender fights now. But you …

Barcelona Soccer Star Ferran Torres Expresses Admiration for Ilia Topuria

Spanish soccer star Ferran Torres recently shared details about what he called a life-changing interaction with Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight contender Ilia Topuria.

Torres had the chance to meet with his fellow Spaniard during a visit to the United States. When the FC Barcelona standout asked Topuria about his expectations from his upcoming bout, the ever-confident fighter said he didn’t see it going past the opening frame. Ferran admitted that he aspires to achieve that same same sense of invincibility.

"I arrived as Ferran and I returned as another…I met Ilia Topuria and saw his circle of trust and how they always made him believe he was the best, unconditional support,” Torres said on "The Wild Project” podcast. “I asked him how he looked ahead of the fight and he said, 'He's not going to make it past the first round.’ I want to be like that.”

Undefeated in 14 professional outings, Topuria has only gone the distance twice in his entire …

Petr Yan Considering Change in Camp, Targets Return at UFC 299

Petr Yan believes he needs a new team to bounce back from his recent slump.

The former Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight title holder was undefeated in the promotion leading up to a disqualification title loss to Aljamain Sterling in 2021. While Yan bounced back from that loss with a decision win over Cory Sandhagen, the former champ never managed to fully regain his momentum.

“No Mercy” subsequently went on a three-fight skid, including a unanimous decision loss against Merab Dvalishvili in his most last outing at UFC Fight Night 221.More recently, an undisclosed injury forced Yan out of a rumored headlining bout opposite Yadong Song on Dec. 9.

Yan claims that he is healthy and that he has a date in mind for his UFC return.

“The health is great,” he told XTRA MMA. “There’s no preparation at this moment. Yes, I am ready. I’m waiting for the information [from the UFC]. I plan on fighting in March at UFC 299 ... I’d like it to …

Sean O’Malley: Aljamain Sterling Might Be Too ‘Insecure’ to Move Up to Featherweight

Sean O'Malley believes that Aljamain Sterling might do well at featherweight but is unsure whether we will get to find out.

In an appearance on The MMA Hour, O’Malley expressed his doubts over whether Sterling, whose Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight title he took via second-round knockout at UFC 292 in August, has enough confidence to move up to featherweight. While “Funkmaster” initially lobbied for an immediate rematch, he has since changed course towards a possible move up to 145 pounds. Sterling recently revealed that he has been offered a booking against perennial featherweight contender Calvin Kattar but is keener on a clash against former champ Max Holloway.

O’Malley believes going up makes sense for Sterling given the latter’s natural size. While “Sugar” believes Sterling also the required skillset for featherweight, he believes the former champ might prefer sticking around at bantamweight for the size advantage. O’Malley said o…

UFC Lightweight Tony Ferguson Reaches Plea Deal, Has DUI Charge Dismissed

Tony Ferguson recently had a misdemeanor DUI charge dismissed in the Superior Court of Los Angeles after reaching a plea deal.

The UFC lightweight star pleaded nolo contendere to a misdemeanor charge of wet reckless driving on the highway and will serve one year of probation as a result of the deal, which was ruled upon by Judge Shannon K. Cooley on Monday. MMAjunkie.com was first to report the resolution of the case.

Ferguson was arrested in May after allegedly crashing his truck into a pair of parked cars in Hollywood, California. The fighter was booked into jail after refusing a field sobriety test, and a law enforcement officer stated that Ferguson “reeked of alcohol” and had “bloodshot eyes.” Ferguson, who initially pleaded not guilty to the DUI charge, was released on his own recognizance.

As part of his probation, Ferguson will not consume alcohol and has agreed to pay restitution to the victim for damage caused as a result of the a…

Ilia Topuria Eyes Future Fight vs. Canelo Alvarez: ‘I Think I Have a Chance with Him’

While Ilia Topuria is the latest in a long line of mixed martial artists eyeing crossover boxing fights, “El Matador” is aiming for the very best.

Topuria is currently slated to challenge Alexander Volkanovski for the featherweight title in the main event at UFC 298 on Feb. 17. The undefeated Spanish prospect hopes to keep his record intact and ideally go on to defend his throne against former champ Max Holloway in front of his home fans.

“So, that’s what I think is going to happen that I’m going to beat ‘Volk’ on Feb. 17, and then I’m going to fight Max Holloway here in Spain. That’s my goal right now, and I think it’s going to happen,” Topuria recently said in an appearance on the OverDogs Podcast.

While defeating arguably the two greatest featherweights of all time would be no small feat, Topuria’s aspirations don’t stop there. Once he has the credibility of a UFC title to make his case, Topuria wants to fight Canelo Alvarez in the future…

Impa Kasanganay Willing to Move to Heavyweight to Face Francis Ngannou in PFL

A lot has changed for Impa Kasanganay since he was released from the Ultimate Fighting Championship two years ago.

Until recently, Kasanganay was best known for his viral knockout loss to Joaquin Buckley at UFC Fight Night 179 in 2020. While he bounced back with a submission win over Sasha Palatnikov, Kasanganay was released following a subsequent loss to Carlston Harris.

“Tshilobo” fought twice on the regional circuit before signing with the Professional Fighters League, where he went on a six-fight winning streak that culminated in a light heavyweight title win over Joshua Silveira at the PFL World Championships on Friday.

Following his unanimous decision victory against Silveira, Kasanganay proceeded to call out Francis Ngannou. While some dismissed Kasanganay's callout as a publicity stunt due to the difference in weight classes, “Tshilobo” claims he is serious.

“I don’t just say things to say things,” Kasanganay told MMAjunkie.com.…

Glover Teixeira Explains Decision to Remain Retired, Focus Energy on Alex Pereira

Although he misses fighting at times, Glover Teixeira is content with retirement and focusing all his energies on close friend Alex Pereira.

Teixeira hung up his gloves in January following a unanimous decision title loss against Jamahal Hill at UFC 283. This marked the second consecutive title loss for the Brazilian, who was submitted by Jiri Prochazka in a nailbiter at UFC 275 last year.

Teixeira has since turned coach and mentor for Pereira, who recently won his second UFC title within a year. While Pereira was walking out for his light heavyweight championship victory over Prochazka at UFC 295, Teixeira admitted to “Poatan” that he misses fighting sometimes.

However, the former UFC light heavyweight champ chooses to stay retired for one major reason: Father Time. Teixeira, who has contemplated coming out of retirement for the right amount of money, claims that his younger self would have easily run through his last two opponents.

“I told …

Anthony Smith Steps in for Short-Notice Clash Against Khalil Rountree on Dec. 9

An Ultimate Fighting Championship event set to go down at the promotion’s Apex facility in Las Vegas will undergo a significant change two weeks before fight night.

Undefeated Russian prospect Azamat Murzakanov (13-0) was originally scheduled to take on Khalil Rountree (12-5) in a light heavyweight clash in the co-main event at UFC Fight Night 233 on Dec. 9. However, UFC CEO Dana White announced that Murzakanov is now out of the matchup due to pneumonia and will be replaced by Anthony Smith (37-18).

Smith is coming off a split-decision win in a rematch against Ryan Spann at UFC Fight Night 233 that saw him bounce back from consecutive losses against top contenders Magomed Ankalaev and Johnny Walker. The former title challenger’s last win prior to that also came against Spann via first-round submission in September 2021.

Meanwhile, Rountree is riding a four-fight win streak, which includes technical knockout wins over Modestas Bukauskas, Karl …

Colby Covington: ‘I Took the Fight Out of Usman’ Before He Faced Leon Edwards

Colby Covington claims his two title losses against Kamaru Usman played significant role in Leon Edwards’ eventual victory over “The Nigerian Nightmare.”

Covington is currently scheduled to challenge Edwards for the welterweight strap at UFC 296 on Dec. 16 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Covington will receive that opportunity despite not having fought since outpointing Jorge Masvidal at UFC 272 in March 2022. “Chaos” is 2-2 in his last four Octagon appearances, with both of those defeats coming at the hands of Usman in welterweight title bouts.

Covington claims that his UFC 245 and UFC 268 losses against Usman took the fight out of “The Nigerian Nightmare,” which led to him getting dethroned by Edwards at UFC 278.

“No doubt about it, I took the fight out of Usman,” Covington told UFC.com. “His chin was never the same, and I’m the one that loosened up that chin. I head kicked him and had him on wobbly legs, then he calls timeout. It’s not…

Kayla Harrison Hopes to Face ‘Cyborg’ Next but ‘Not Waiting for Anybody’

Two-time Professional Fighters League women’s lightweight champion Kayla Harrison wants to face reigning Bellator MMA women’s featherweight titleholder Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino next. However, the decorated judoka has no plans to sit around and waste her prime while she waits for the highly anticipated bout to come to fruition.

Harrison (16-1) returned to action from a year of inactivity following her first pro defeat against Larissa Pacheco. The two-time Olympic gold medalist outpointed Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran Aspen Ladd to a unanimous decision in a 2023 PFL Championships catchweight showcase on Friday at The Anthem in Washington, D.C. Despite Ladd’s relentless spirit and durability, Harrison comfortably rolled to 30-27 scores across the board. Harrison outstruck her counterpart by a 165-27 margin.

Afterward, she proceeded to call out Cyborg.

“I’m excited that PFL just acquired Bellator,” Harrison said. “I heard there’s a girl in…

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