Martial Arts Videos

Report: Israel Adesanya Avoids Conviction for Drunk Driving in New Zealand

Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has avoided a conviction for a drunk driving incident last August, according to a report from the New Zealand Herald.

During a hearing in Auckland, New Zealand, Judge Peter Winter ordered Adesanya to donate $1,500 to charity, refrain from driving for six months and enroll in a stop drunk driving program before the end of the year.

“I’m sure you have learned from this,” Winter told Adesanya in court. “You would not want to be placed in this position again, as you realize.”

Adesanya was charged with driving a car in Auckland on Aug. 19 with 87 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood. The legal limit in the country is 50 milligrams. The UFC star faced a maximum penalty of three months in prison or a $4,500 fine.

Adesanya was granted a discharge without conviction when his lawyer, Karl Trotter, argued that such charges could seriously affect the end of his client’s fighting caree…

Pereira vs. Oleksiejczuk, Despaigne vs. Parisian Added to UFC 299 Lineup in Miami

The UFC 299 lineup appears to be complete, as the Las Vegas-based promotion recently confirmed the 13-bout card.

Two new bouts were announced in a release on Tuesday: Michel Pereira vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk at middleweight and Robelis Despaigne vs. Josh Parisian at heavyweight. UFC 299 takes place on March 9 at the Kaseya Center in Miami and is headlined by a bantamweight championship clash between Sean O'Malley and Marlon Vera.

Pereira is currently on a six-fight winning streak in UFC competition. While the majority of those triumphs occurred at 170 pounds, “Demolidor” made a successful move to middleweight with a 66-second TKO of Andre Petroski in his last outing at UFC Fight Night 230 on Oct. 14.

Poland’s Oleksiejczuk has won three of his last four Octagon appearances — all via first-round knockout or technical knockout. Most recently, the 28-year-old stopped Chidi Njokuani 4:16 into the opening stanza of their clash at UFC Fight Night 225…

Manager Hints Islam Makhachev Will Fight Justin Gaethje Next

[embedded content]

Islam Makhachev will defend his strap against Justin Gaethje next, according to manager Ali Abdelaziz.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s lightweight title picture is currently a bit unclear. Makhachev has already expressed his preference in defending his belt against Gaethje over former opponents Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan.

Dana White recently announced a matchup between Oliveira and Tsarukyan for UFC 300 on April 13, with the winner securing a next title shot against the champ, who is expected to return after Ramadan.

However, Abdelaziz believes the title picture makes it obvious that Gaethje deserves the next shot against Makhachev, who also continues to chase that matchup.

“I think it’s obvious … Justin Gaethje’s a guy that never wants something to be given to him. He earned it with sweat and blood and tears inside the cage. Islam Makhachev, very interested to fighting him. He said, ‘Doesn’t matter who, when…

Michael Page Doesn’t Expect UFC 299 Foe Kevin Holland to Engage in Striking Battle

Michael Page believes Kevin Holland’s “striking only” experience with Stephen Thompson will prevent him from repeating the same in their upcoming clash.

The former Bellator striking ace is slated to make his Ultimate Fighting Championship debut against Holland at UFC 299 on March 9 at the Kaseya Center in Miami.

Holland had previously agreed to keep the fight standing against Thompson, another elite striker, at UFC on ESPN 42 in December 2022. “Trailblazer” was outclassed on the feet and suffered a fourth-round corner stoppage loss resulting from a hand injury. Page, who sees himself as a better version of “Wonderboy” in many aspects, wouldn’t mind a similar deal with Holland but is quite confident that his opponent won't be up for it.

“I know for a fact Kevin Holland is not going to want to do that agreement again after the whooping that he took against Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson,” Page recently told MMAjunkie.com. “I see myself as the f…

Junior dos Santos to Face Alan Belcher for Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA HW Title

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship talents Junior dos Santos and Alan Belcher will fight for the inaugural Gamebred Fighting Championship heavyweight title in March.

UFC veteran Jorge Masvidal, the founder of the promotion, announced on Instagram that the fight will be a five-round, gloveless mixed martial arts contest on March 2 at the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida. Tickets for the event go live on Jan. 17 and broadcast information is yet to be revealed.

Dos Santos exited the UFC on a four-fight skid, and he followed that with an injury stoppage loss to Yorgan De Castro in his debut at Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Eagle FC in 2022. “Cigano” defeated fellow UFC veteran Fabricio Werdum in his promotional debut at GFC 5 in September to earn the title shot.

Meanwhile, Belcher retired from MMA in 2013 at the age of 29 following a loss to Michael Bisping at UFC 159. The former UFC middleweight contender returned to combat sports in 2021, competing …

UFC Heavyweight Champ Jon Jones Undergoes Elbow Surgery

Since he was already in the rehabilitation process, Jon Jones has decided to take care of some additional ailments while he waits.

The UFC heavyweight champion revealed on social media that he recently underwent surgery on his left elbow. Jones has been sidelined after suffering a torn pectoral in training prior to a scheduled title defense against Stipe Miocic this past November.

“Back out here in California with Dr. [Neal] ElAttrache, this time instead of doing a pec repair, we are working on my left elbow,” Jones said in a video on his Instagram stories. “I’m actually about one hour off the table. We had a two-hour surgery shaving down some bone spurs. The good news is it’s about a 10-week healing process, and I’m out for months anyway, because of this pec surgery, so I thought I’d just kill two birds and get this elbow taken care of once and for all.

“I appreciate all the support. Your boy’s back in the sling, back on this recovery journ…

Coach Diego Lima Explains Why Charles Oliveira Accepted Fight vs. Arman Tsarukyan

The mystery regarding Charles Oliveira’s next opponent is over, as the Brazilian will face Arman Tsarukyan in a contender’s bout at UFC 300.

While it was rumored that Justin Gaethje would receive the next lightweight title shot against reigning champion Islam Makhachev, UFC CEO Dana White added some clarity to the situation during his announcement on Sunday night.

"The winner will face Islam when he returns this summer," White said.

Shortly after the official announcement, Oliveira’s coach, Diego Lima, revealed further details regarding the negotations in an interview with Sherdog.com.

"As I [said] a few weeks ago, Charles' main focus was the belt. If Makhachev would fight, the opponent would be Charles, but many things have happened since we talked,” Lima said. “Makhachev is still injured and besides that, he will have Ramadan. And after Ramadan he will need time to get ready.

“Since Charles is a former champion and No. 1 ranked [in t…

Davey Grant vs. Cody Gibson, Two Other Bouts Added to UFC Fight Night on March 23

A bantamweight clash pitting Davey Grant against Cody Gibson is among the latest additions to the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s March 23 offering.

The booking was confirmed by Grant’s management, Iridium Sports Agency. Two featherweight bouts were also announced by Iridium: Julian Erosa vs. Ricardo Ramos and Fernando Padilla vs. Luis Pajuelo. UFC Fight Night is expected to take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. A headliner for the event has not been revealed.

Grant had a two-bout winning streak snapped in his last outing, when he dropped a split decision to Daniel Marcos at UFC Fight Night 224 this past July. The 38-year-old Englishman is 6-6 since beginning his promotional tenure in November 2013.

Gibson, meanwhile, kicked off his second Octagon stint at UFC 292, where he suffered a unanimous decision loss to Brad Katona on Aug. 19. “The Renegade” previously went 1-3 in UFC competition from 2014 to 2015.

Erosa has lost back-to-ba…

Alexander Gustafsson Resumes Training, Won’t Rule Out UFC Return

Alexander Gustafsson has resumed training and hasn’t closed the door on a return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

The Swedish standout continues to work at his longtime home, the Allstars Training Center in Stockholm, Sweden. While Gustafsson has primarily resumed training to stay in shape and close to the sport he loves, the former two-time UFC title challenger isn’t opposed to competing again.

“I’m going to be here much more now and focus a little bit on myself and my own training and mainly get back in shape. I don’t think about the competing part so much. If it comes, it comes, so time will tell," he told Frontkick Online.

“I’m focusing on myself and getting back in shape, and also I love this game. I love to train and be around the guys and do some grappling, do some wrestling, hit some pads and do some light sparring. I’ve been doing this my whole career, so I’m glad to be back and do what I love to do.”

Gustafsson last fo…

Sean O’Malley: McGregor Still Capable of Putting on a ‘Performance’ with Proper Focus

Sean O'Malley believes Conor McGregor isn’t the same fighter after his recent years of yacht life during his prime.

McGregor hasn’t fought since July 2021, when he suffered a broken leg in a trilogy clash with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. Despite McGregor having gone 1-3 in his last four bouts, the Irishman’s return to the Octagon remains highly anticipated.

After months of teasing a return fight with Michael Chandler, McGregor recently announced that he will be fighting the former Bellator MMA champ during the International Fight Week on June 29. O’Malley believes the former UFC two-division champion isn’t as good as he was during his heyday. However, O’Malley also believes “Notorious” still has it in him to put on a show if he is really “dialed in.”

“I’m a huge fan of Conor and I would be very excited to watch him come back and compete. He’s looking good, he’s posting little videos here and there training, looks like he’s grappling a lot. S…

Trevor Peek Confident He’d Beat Paddy Pimblett: ‘I’d Take That Hype Train’

Trevor Peek wants to show the world that “scousers” get knocked out by squaring off with surging UFC star Paddy Pimblett.

Unbeaten since 2018 — including five wins under the UFC banner — Pimblett has quickly emerged as one of the promotion’s most recognizable talents. Peek knows that Pimblett’s career trajectory certainly looks promising at the moment.

“I think Paddy is on a good career path. I think [the UFC] is going to take care of him and going to match him smartly,” Peek said on his YouTube channel. “I think they are going to let him develop his skills. Is he capable of beating a Top 15? Probably, man. Anyone can beat anyone in this game; it only takes one. Skill-wise, I don’t know if he’s up to par with all them guys, but I think he’s probably better than one or two of those guys in the Top 15 truly.”

Pimblett’s momentum is exactly what makes him a lucrative potential opponent for Peek, who believes he can beat the Liverpudlian. After …

Charles Oliveira to Face Arman Tsarukyan in No. 1 Contender Bout at UFC 300

Ex-lightweight champion Charles Oliveira will square off against Arman Tsarukyan in a title eliminator bout at UFC 300.

UFC CEO Dana White announced the booking on Sunday night. The winner of the 155-pound contest will be next in line to face Islam Makhachev, who White revealed is recovering from an injury. UFC 300 takes place on April 13 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and also includes a light heavyweight showdown pitting Jiri Prochazka against Aleksandar Rakic and a featherweight scrap between Aljamain Sterling and Calvin Kattar.

Oliveira is coming off a first-round technical knockout victory over Beneil Dariush at UFC 289 this past June. That triumph earned “Do Bronx” a title shot against Islam Makhachev at UFC 294, but the Brazilian suffered a cut in training that forced him to withdraw from the October bout. Oliveira has won 12 of his last 13 promotional outings, with his lone defeat during that stretch coming via second-round submission …

Dustin Poirier, Benoit St. Denis Set for Five-Round Co-Main Event Clash at UFC 299

Dustin Poirier will lock horns with Benoit St. Denis in a five-round co-headliner at UFC 299.

UFC CEO Dana White announced the lightweight pairing late Sunday evening. UFC 299 takes place on March 9 at the Kaseya Center in Miami and will see Sean O'Malley defend his bantamweight crown against Marlon Vera in the evening’s main event.

A two-time lightweight title challenger, Poirier has lost two of his last three Octagon appearances. In his lone bout of 2023, “The Diamond” suffered a second-round knockout loss in a rematch against Justin Gaethje at UFC 291 on July 29. The 34-year-old Poirier has bested the likes of Michael Chandler, Conor McGregor (twice), Dan Hooker, Max Holloway, Eddie Alvarez, Gaethje, Anthony Pettis and Jim Miller during his tenure with the Las Vegas-based promotion.

After suffering a lopsided loss against Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos in a short-notice promotional debut at 170 pounds, St. Denis has reeled off five consecutive triumphs unde…

UFC Commentator Laura Sanko Weighs in on Sean Strickland-Dricus Du Plessis Brawl

[embedded content]

UFC commentator Laura Sanko would rather see fighters scuffle than get personal with their trash talk.

Sean Strickland is scheduled to defend his middleweight title against Dricus Du Plessis in the main-event at UFC 297 on Jan. 20 in Toronto. Things turned ugly between the two during a seasonal 2024 press conference where “Stillknocks” brought up the champ’s abusive childhood.

Strickland latter admitted that he was definitely triggered by the comments, which led to him attacking the South African while attending UFC 296 the next day. Strickland was seen leaping over chairs and throwing punches Du Plessis before being separated by police and escorted out of the T-Mobile Arena. Sanko admittedly prefers the physical scuffle between the two at UFC 296, as it saves ugly trash talk potentially involving the fighters’ families.

“I realize what game we’re in. I actually prefer guys have physical fights than do this s—t, if I’m bein…

Belal Muhammad Plans to Train in Dagestan for Upcoming UFC Title Bout

Belal Muhammad is planning to train with Khabib Nurmagomedov and his team for a potential upcoming title fight against Leon Edwards.

Muhammad has grown close with Nurmagomedov’s contingent since the former lightweight king’s active days, as they had the same manager in Ali Abdelaziz. Muhammad is now planning to travel to Dagestan to prepare for Edwards.

“I’m planning for sure to go to Dagestan and train with those guys, like you said, to get a new look, to get different feels,” Muhammad told MMAjunkie.com. “Those guys don’t let you take any days off or any easy rounds. That’s always perfect for me. Last time I trained with those guys, we got a dominant finish and I plan to do the same thing.”

The late Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov is credited with setting up a training system that has produced numerous world class fighters from the region over the years with his son and current UFC lightweight champ Islam Makhachev leading the way. While he is alw…

Yadong Song Responds to Sean Strickland’s Controversial Comments About China

Yadong Song found Sean Strickland’s recent comments about China to be “baseless.”

Strickland is notorious for his unhinged takes on a wide range of topics, so it did not come as surprise to most fight fans when Strickland randomly suggested that China’s biggest exports are plastic and COVID-19.

China's biggest exports..... Plastic and Covid....

— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) January 5, 2024 Song seemingly took offense at Strickland’s comments about his country, which according to him are “baseless stereotypes.”

“Hey champ, I respect your skills as a fighter, but we should be talking facts, not baseless stereotypes,” Song wrote on X. “As athletes, we ought to focus on what we know best and avoid making unfounded comments. Let’s set a good example, alright?”

Hey champ, I respect your skills as a fighter, but we should be talking facts, not baseless stereotypes. As athletes, we ought to focus…

Themba Gorimbo Takes Dig at Kiefer Crosbie’s Pullout From Scheduled Fight

Themba Gorimbo gave Kiefer Crosbie a piece of his mind after the latter was forced out of their upcoming bout due to an injury.

Gorimbo was scheduled to take on the Irish welterweight contender on Feb. 3 at UFC Fight Night 235 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. After an initial report from MMA Mania, Gorimbo confirmed that “BDK” is out of the bout with an injury. While Gorimbo has already found a short-notice replacement opponent in Pete Rodriguez, “The Answer” did not move on without taking a dig a Crosbie.

However, Gorimbo’s dig at Crosbie wasn’t completely unprovoked as the Irishman had touched upon a relatively sensitive topic while trash talking. After Gorimbo revealed that he had $6 left in his bank account after his first UFC victory last year, WWE and Hollywood superstar Dwayne Johnson empathized so deeply with his story that he bought the South African a new house.

“It's official, 10 weeks time I make my real debut with the [UFC}. Full cam…

Michael Chandler: McGregor Announced Fight at 185 Pounds to ‘Establish Dominance’

When Conor McGregor revealed that his long-awaited bout against Michael Chandler would be contested at middleweight, it raised eyebrows throught the mixed martial arts community.

After all, neither McGregor nor Chandler has competed at 185 pounds during their respective careers. Chandler has a theory on why the Irish superstar chose that weight class.

"In his mind, he can't fight at 170 [pounds], because I called him out at 170," Chandler told ESPN. "He had to say 185. ... He always wants to establish dominance, to make people think that I am less than him, and that's fine. I'll take that all day long, because I'm confident in myself, and I don't have an ego.

"I have no problem with what people say. I have no problem with people's opinions. Everybody's got an opinion, and who cares? ... I'll take that 'back seat' to him the entire time, and if he thinks he's taking a fight against a lesser man, then so be it. He'll find out on June 29.”

Stipe Miocic Suggests Title Unification Bout Against Tom Aspinall After Jon Jones Fight

Perhaps Stipe Miocic won’t be riding off into the sunset following his heavyweight title fight against Jon Jones after all.

The ex-UFC champion responded to a series of posts from current interim king Tom Aspinall on social media by suggesting that he’d be willing to face the Englishman in a title unification bout down the road. That, of course, would only become a viable option should Miocic defeat Jones when they square off at some point in 2024. The date for the bout is currently unknown, as Jones is still recovering from a torn pectoral that forced him to withdraw from the UFC 295 main event against Miocic.

“I have never caused a delay in the Jon fight,” Miocic wrote in response to Aspinall. “Tom, once I get this win, let’s talk to unify the belt.”

I have never caused a delay in the Jon fight.⁰⁰Tom, once I get this win, let’s talk to unify the belt.

— Stipe Miocic (@stipemiocic) January 5, 2024

In recent week…

Raul Rosas Jr. Slated To Face ‘TUF 29’ Winner Ricky Turcios at UFC Mexico City

Raul Rosas Jr., the Ultimate Fighting Championship's youngest competitor, is set to return to the Octagon against Ricky Turcios at UFC Mexico City.

Rosas announced the matchup in an interview with the promotion’s Spanish social media account. UFC Fight Night 237 takes place on Feb. 24 at Mexico City Arena and is headlined by a flyweight clash between former champion Brandon Moreno and Amir Albazi. The co-main event will feature a rematch between former interim champion Yair Rodriguez and two-time title contender Brian Ortega.

Rosas Jr.is coming off a 54-second Round 1 technical knockout victory against Terrence Mitchell at UFC Fight Night 227 this past September. Prior to that, Rosas Jr. sustained the first loss of his professional mixed martial arts career against Christian Rodriguez at UFC 287 via unanimous decision.

After winning Season 29 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” Turcios has gone 1-1 in the Las Vegas-based promotion. The 30-year-old will enter the …

Lukasz Brzeski Booked to Face Valter Walker at UFC Fight Night Event on April 6

A heavyweight matchup has been added to the UFC Fight Night card set to take place on April 6.

Undefeated Valter Walker is set to make his UFC debut against Poland's Lukasz Brzeski. Both fighters recently confirmed the booking on social media. UFC Fight Night takes place at the UFC Apex and is headlined by a middleeight bout between Brendan Allen and Marvin Vettori.

Currently on an 11-fight win streak, Walker will enter the Octagon coming off a Round 4 technical knockout victory against Alex Nicholson at Titan FC 82 to claim the promotion’s heavyweight championship. Walker was initially slated to make his Octagon debut against Jake Collier on a UFC Fight Night card back in September 2023. However, the GOR MMA product was forced to withdraw from the bout due to undisclosed reasons.

Meanwhile, Brzeski is currently on a four-fight winless streak and will be looking to notch his first UFC victory against Walker. In his most recent outing, the Polish national…

Anthony Joshua Opens as Favorite in Boxing Match Against Francis Ngannou

Francis Ngannou is gearing up for his second boxing showdown four months after his professional debut against Tyson Fury. This time, “The Predator” will go up against former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua on March 9 in Saudi Arabia.

The news was first reported by Ariel Helwani on Friday and later confirmed by Turki Al-Sheikh, the Chairman of the General Authority for Entertainment in Saudi Arabia. Promoter Eddie Hearn subsequently announced that a press conference for the 10-round boxing bout has also been scheduled to take place in London on Jan. 15.

Joshua opened -500 favorite according to SportsBetting.ag. Meanwhile, Ngannou serves as a +325 underdog. This means one would have to bet $100 on Joshua to collect a profit of $20. On the other hand, betting $100 on Ngannou could potentially bring in a profit of $325. Those odds are subject to change as the fight draws near.

Ngannou made his boxing debut on Oct. 28 in Riyadh, Saudi…

Chris Weidman vs. Bruno Silva in the Works for UFC Atlantic City on March 30

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight champ Chris Weidman is not ready to call it quits just yet.

Weidman (15-7) will be returning to action on March 30 at the unnumbered UFC on ESPN event in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The former kingpin of 185 pounds will battle it out against Bruno Silva (23-10) at middleweight inside of the Boardwalk Hall. News of this pairing first came from Brazilian journalist Laerte Viana, and Sherdog has confirmed from sources close to the situation that the fight is currently in the works. Both men have verbally agreed to the bout, and they are awaiting contracts from the promotion.

This will be Weidman’s second appearance in the Octagon since a gruesome leg injury suffered against Uriah Hall in April 2021. “The All-American” took over two years off to recoup from his broken leg, and he returned at UFC 292 to face perennial contender Brad Tavares. Weidman, 39, lost a decision and endured a whopping 41 leg kicks from his foe to rea…

Francis Ngannou, Anthony Joshua Agree to 10-Round Boxing Match in Saudi Arabia

Those that say former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champ Francis Ngannou “fumbled the bag” could not be more wrong.

According to Ariel Helwani on Friday, Ngannou (0-1 Box) will take on Anthony Joshua (27-3, 24 KOs) at a currently undisclosed date in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This news has been confirmed by Turki Al-Sheikh, the Chairman of General Authority for Entertainment in Saudi Arabia. The two heavyweights will battle it out over the course of 10 professional rounds, and no belts will be on the line. Per MMA Junkie, the match will reportedly be held on March 9.

This will be Ngannou’s second trip to the boxing ring, with his first a razor-close split decision loss to Tyson Fury in October 2023. “The Predator” made shockwaves in the boxing—and MMA—community by knocking Fury down in Round 3, but two of three judges awarded the bout in favor of Fury. Ngannou famously departed the UFC at the beginning of 2023, where he was signed by Professional Fighters Lea…

Martial Arts Videos

About Me