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Michael Page Still Focused on Return to Welterweight: ‘I Can See My Path to the Top’

Michael Page made an immediate impact at 185 pounds at UFC Saudi Arabia.

The flashy striker handed Sharabutdin Magomedov his first career defeat in the evening’s middleweight co-headliner, winning a unanimous decision at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. While “Shara Bullet” displayed a penchant for the spectacular in previous Octagon appearances, he struggled to find openings against Page.

“This is the reason why I called him out. I could see my style fit his style,” Page said on the ESPN post-fight show. “As much as he’s an exceptional striker, I’ve seen that before. I knew he would be a bit more tentative with me bouncing in front of him … He likes to kick. I’ve seen all the best kicks in the world. I’m never fazed with any kick.”

While the victory might create some more options for “Venom,” the Brit is still eyeing a return to the welterweight division, where he has competed for the majority of his career.

“I’ve just got goals at 170,” P…

Vinicius Oliveira Details Cartilage Injury That Hindered Him at UFC Saudi Arabia

Vinicius Oliveira has revealed the injury that hindered him toward the end of his victory over Said Nurmagomedov at UFC Saudi Arabia this past Saturday.

“LokDog” plans to take six weeks to recover and is eyeing a return to the Octagon this summer following his unanimous decision win over Nurmagomedov, which received “Fight of the Night” honors.

“The name is costochondritis. It is an inflammation of the cartilage that connects the rib to the chest,” Oliveira told Sherdog.com. “The pain is so severe that 30% of [people who think they are suffering a heart attack] are due to costochondritis. The pain is so severe that I couldn't [train properly] during the week of the fight. Grappling, no way. As it is cartilage, there is no way to infiltrate it. All I could do was take paracetamol and codeine, which made me very slow and really affected my performance in the first round.

“The treatment for it is six weeks of absolute rest and physiotherapy. You w…

Tatiana Suarez Offers Theory As to Why Virna Jandiroba Matchup Fell Through

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Tatiana Suarez isn’t taking much responsibility for her canceled fight against Virna Jandiroba.

Suarez was scheduled to meet “Carcara” in a potential strawweight title eliminator at UFC 310 in December 2024. However, the matchup fell through when Suarez pulled out due to what was reportedly an unspecified health issue.

Suarez has now opened up on the bout cancellation, partly hinting that it was the UFC’s choice. According to Suarez, the UFC was hesitant about the matchup at the last moment, as it would rob the division of a potential contender. As Suarez challenges for the 115-pound title, she believes Jandiroba vs. Xiaonan Yan at UFC 314 could decide the next contender.

“I just think the UFC wanted this fight instead,” Suarez told Shakiel Mahjouri. “I think at that point they probably thought to themselves, ‘Why are we gonna remove another contender?’ Because when I fight her, after that they can have another contender. I …

Belal Muhammad Mocks Sean Strickland’s Title Opportunity at UFC 312

There’s no love lost between Belal Muhammad and Sean Strickland.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship standouts haven’t been shy about trading barbs on social media in recent months. While they belong to different weight classes, Muhammad has even expressed interest in moving up to middleweight to fight Strickland. Responding to “Remember the Name,” Strickland went on a profanity-filled rant in a recent interview with The Schmo.

“Listen about Belal Muhammad,” Strickland said. “F---ing where is he from, Miami, Detroit (Chicago)… Belal do me a favor, s--t the f--k up. Go get on a boat, go back to f---ing Palestine. Go pick up a rock and go f---ing do something. I’m so sick of you f---ing on the Twitter and just talking s--t. Every time I f---ing see you bro, you have your head down like a f---ing little girl… You wanna f---ing fight me and try to dry hump me?”

Sean Strickland reacts to Belal Muhammad saying he’d move up to …

Nassourdine Imavov Intent on Title Shot Following Signature Win at UFC Saudi Arabia

Nassourdine Imavov has gradually been building an impressive resume over the course of the past year.

That work culminated in a surprising second-round stoppage of ex-champ Israel Adesanya in the UFC Saudi Arabia headliner at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday. While Imavov was pleased to vanquish an opponent who ruled the middleweight division for years, he’s taking the victory in stride.

“To be honest, it’s just another victory,” Imavov said through a translator at the post-fight press conference. “A fight is a fight. Obviously, it feels great to beat someone who’s a legend of the sport.”

In addition to Adesanya, Imavov has bested the likes of Brendan Allen, Jared Cannonier and Roman Dolidze during a run that began in February 2024. The Frenchman believes it’s more than enough to have earned himself a crack at middleweight gold. Conveniently enough, the title will be on the line next Saturday when Dricus Du Plessis faces Sean Str…

Israel Adesanya Reflects on ‘Thrill and Agony’ of Loss to Nassourdine Imavov

It wasn’t what Israel Adesanya envisioned as he prepared to regain momentum in his Ultimate Fighting Championship career.

The former middleweight champion suffered his third consecutive defeat in the UFC Saudi Arabia headliner, falling to Nassourdine Imavov via second-round technical knockout on Saturday at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. While “The Last Stylebender” appeared poised to return to form against a rising contender, it wasn’t meant to be.

“Disappointed,” Adesanya said on the ESPN post-fight show. “I hate disappointing my fans and my team. My team’s still proud of me for the work that I put into this. It’s just the thrill and agony.”

According to Adesanya, only those entrenched in the sport will truly understand what it means to be on wrong side of such a defeat. Those who haven’t competed will only be left to speculate.

“I don’t think it’s for them to know. You have to really be in it to know,” Adesanya said. “It’s only a priv…

‘Shara Bullet’ Claims He Fought at UFC Saudi Arabia with ‘Nightmarish Health Condition’

Sharabutdin Magomedov came up short in a tactical battle against Michael Page in the UFC Saudi Arabia co-headliner, but it turns out that the Dagestani striker might not have been fighting in peak condition.

“Shara Bullet” suffered his first defeat in 16 career outings on Saturday, dropping a unanimous verdict to Page at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Afterward, the 30-year-old released a statement on social media explaining the adversity he faced in the middleweight bout.

“The pirate sails into the harbor, but I will return,” Magomedov said. “I knew all the risks when stepping in with such a nightmarish health condition and preparation. I felt that despite everything, I could still win—but it didn’t work out, and that’s it.

“Thank you to the UFC organization for this opportunity and to everyone involved. I wanted to put on a show and meet expectations without canceling the fight. Thank you to everyone who stands by me in any situation! A…

Vinicius Oliveira Returns Focus to Umar Nurmagomedov After UFC Saudi Arabia Win

Vinicius Oliveira is intent on a showdown against Umar Nurmagomedov.

Oliveira scored the biggest upset of the night against Said Nurmagomedov (18-4) with a come-from-behind unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night 250 at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Oliveira subsequently called out the recent title challenger, who hails from the same region as Said — although they aren’t related.

Oliveira had no second thoughts while issuing a callout to Umar in his post-fight Octagon interview. “LokDog” even went a step further, claiming the Dagestani contender is scared to face him.

“I’ve been talking some bad things about some guys from Dagestan. It’s part of the game,” he said. “It’s just business. I have only one specific guy from Dagestan to fight – his name is Umar Nurmagomedov. If he have courage to face me, I’m here. And if Dana [White] allows this fight, I’m here to fight against Umar Nurmagomedov, but I think he’s scared of me.”

Middleweights Michel Pereira, Abusupiyan Magomedov to Meet at UFC Kansas City

A clash of middleweights has been added to UFC Kansas City.

Michel Pereira (31-12) will take on Abusupiyan Magomedov (27-6-1) at 185 pounds on April 26 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. The matchup was first reported by Ag.Fight and was subsequently confirmed by Pereira on social media.

Pereira moved up to middleweight in 2023 despite being on a five-fight winning streak at welterweight. “Demolidor” was unbeaten in three middleweight outings before suffering a fifth-round TKO loss against Anthony Hernandez in his most recent outing this past October.

Meanwhile, Magomedov joined the UFC in 2022 and has since gone 3-2 in the promotion. The Russian’s losses came against top-tier competition in Sean Strickland and Caio Borralho. “Abus” is coming off consecutive wins over Warlley Alves and Brunno Ferreira in 2024.

Bryce Mitchell Apologizes for Pro-Hitler Remarks: ‘I’m Definitely Not a Nazi’

Bryce Mitchell has retracted his controversial comments about Adolf Hitler.

A vocal flat earth theorist, Mitchell is known for his often-absurd opinions on a variety of topics. “Thug Nasty” managed to spark up controversy yet again in the very first episode of his Arkansanity podcast, when the UFC featherweight labeled Hitler a “good guy” while going on an antisemitic and transphobic rant.

Mitchell more recently issued a statement apologizing for his insensitivity towards Holocaust victims in his comment. The 30-year-old made clear that he is not a Nazi and doesn’t stand by any of Hitler’s actions during the Holocaust. Mitchell also vows to be more sensitive while addressing those who have suffered in future.

“I'm sorry I sounded insensitive,” Mitchell wrote on Instagram. “I definitely was not trying to offend anybody, but I know I did. I know that a lot of people died in the Holocaust, and that's a fact. Hitler did a lot of evil things, I thin…

UFC Saudi Arabia Bonuses: Nassourdine Imavov Pockets $50K for Upset Victory

Nassourdine Imavov is $50,000 richer for vanquishing a legend.

The Frenchman received a “Performance of the Night” bonus for his second-round technical knockout of Israel Adesanya 30 seconds into Round 2 of the UFC Saudi Arabia headliner on Saturday at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Imavov rocked his foe with an overhand right and then sealed his surprising triumph with a barrage of follow-up punches near the cage.

Elsewhere, Vinicius Oliveira and Said Nurmagomedov earned “Fight of the Night” honors and $50,000 apiece for their featured bantamweight clash. In a bout that saw both combatants trade willingly, it was Oliveira’s ability to mix in effective grappling that secured him a unanimous nod on the scorecards.

Finally, Bogdan Grad garnered the card’s other $50,000 “Performance of the Night” check thanks to a technical knockout victory over Lucas Alexander at featherweight. After surviving a difficult opening stanza, Grad rallied to put his foe away wit…

Nassourdine Imavov Pounds Out Israel Adesanya in UFC Saudi Arabia Stunner

pic.twitter.com/8M2y2Pl9Vb

— Fights (@FIGHTZSS) February 1, 2025 “The Sniper” has just bagged some huge game.

Capping of what was on paper an excellent offering from the Ultimate Fighting Championship in Riyadh, Saudi, Arabia, the two men in the main event made sure to leave a lasting impression. Riding the first losing streak of his career, Israel Adesanya (24-5, 13-5 UFC) looked to bounce back in his first non-championship headliner in years. Standing his way was rising French talent Nassourdine Imavov (16-4, 1 NC; 8-2, 1 NC UFC), a worthy test for the ex-champ but one many prognosticators expected he would surpass comfortably. That was not meant to be, as Imavov punched his ticket to massive opportunities by shocking “The Last Stylebender” in the second round, scoring the flash knockdown and forcing referee Marc Goddard to step in.

As the fight began, Adesanya looked every bit of his former self, showing that at the …

UFC Saudi Arabia ‘Adesanya vs. Imavov’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Sherdog's live UFC Saudi Arabia coverage will begin Saturday at 9 a.m. ET. The event is also known as UFC Fight Night 250. Round 1 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:

Round 3 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round: Round 2 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Brian Knapp scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the ro…

Conor McGregor Tweets, Deletes Slur-Filled Rant Towards Khabib Nurmagomedov

Outspoken Ultimate Fighting Championship fighters are having quite a week.

Former two-division champ Conor McGregor took to social media on Friday, attacking ex-foe Khabib Nurmagomedov while hurling racial slurs and other insults towards Nurmagomedov and his family. While the two had been going back and forth lately due to the performance of Usman Nurmagomedov over McGregor’s fellow countryman Paul Hughes, this briefly posted diatribe was deleted minutes after it went up.

“15 minutes I done [Jose] Aldo 15 seconds. Show yo wife n---a. Show yo kids n---a,” the Irishman wrote, with the screenshot of his post preserved by MMA Junkie. “Cousin f----n motherf----n hidin motherf----r. Show us you and your cousins kids together because we have kids here in Ireland that wanna smoke them in competition. Are they competing or what are you saying Ireland vs Dagestan? Where’s your offspring, we can’t wait to see them . The best of Dagestan offspring ? Dagestan, what do we think? Is…

UFC Saudi Arabia Weigh-in Results: 1 Fighter Heavy

The #UFCSaudiArabia main event is LOCKED IN 😤@StyleBender weighs in at 185lbs!

[ Live TOMORROW on @ESPNPlus | 12pmET | @RiyadhSeason | #RiyadhSeason📷 ] pic.twitter.com/fpx1ucC6Fp

— UFC (@ufc) January 31, 2025 The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to Saudi Arabia with 11 fights that are all official following the UFC Saudi Arabia weigh-ins.

This includes an intriguing main event featuring Israel Adesanya and Nassourdine Imavov. Both middleweight headliners successfully made weight for the five-round fight. As for the rest of the card, all fighters made weight with the exception of Lucas Alexander. The would-be featherweight came in 2.5 pounds over the limit for his fight against Bogdan Grad. Alexander will be fined 30% of his purse as a result.

This marks the first non-pay-per-view headlining fight for Adesanya (24-4) since 2018. "The Last Stylebender" is coming off the first back-to-back defeats in his career …

Kevin Holland Drops Back to Welterweight, Faces Gunnar Nelson at UFC London

Ultimate Fighting Championship tweener Kevin Holland is opting to move back down to the weight he claims will make him more disciplined.

Per an initial report by social media user realkevink on Tuesday, Holland’s (26-13, 1 NC) relocation to 170 pounds will have him squaring off against jiu-jitsu ace Gunnar Nelson (19-5-1) at UFC London. The two will battle it out at the O2 Arena in London on March 22, with confirmation of the pairing coming on Thursday from multiple outlets. Per those outlets, the fighters have verbally agreed but the contracts have not been signed.

Holland competed four times in 2024, winning just once after getting dropped by Michal Oleksiejczuk and snaring a limb-snapping armbar. A decision loss to Michael Page, a corner stoppage defeat against Roman Dolidze and a quick rear-naked choke setback to Reinier de Ridder put the Texan’s back against the wall. As a pro, “Trailblazer” still presents a dangerous finish rate of 85%, with each of his last s…

UFC Featherweight, Conspiracy Theorist Bryce Mitchell Touts Hitler as ‘Good Guy’

Despite his absurd comments, Ultimate Fighting Championship 145-pound contender Bryce Mitchell will still be on the roster going forward.

In the first episode of his “Arkansanity” podcast along with former UFC talent Roli Delgado on Friday, the Arkansan went on a tangent about Adolf Hitler and Germany in the early 1900s during a discussion of Elon Musk’s salute some considered reminiscent of a Nazi salute. His comments ranged from praising Hitler to complete Holocaust denial. Since then, UFC chief Dana White weighed in on what Mitchell had to say, and explained that Mitchell will face no punishment from his organization due to “free speech.”

“I really don’t think that [Musk] was [hailing the Nazis], because I honestly think that was a good guy based upon my own research,” Mitchell spouted. “Not my public education—indoctrination—I really do think before Hitler got on meth, he was a guy to go fishing with. He fought for his country, he wanted to purif…

UFC 312 Update: Colby Thicknesse Steps in to Face Aleksandre Topuria in Sydney

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Colby Thicknesse, who trains with ex-featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski, has agreed to face Aleksandre Topuria on short notice at UFC 312.

Thicknesse is a replacement for Cody Haddon, who withdrew from the bantamweight pairing due to injury. The Las Vegas-based promotion confirmed the change via social media on Wednesday. The booking contains added intrigue since Topuria is the older brother of current UFC 145-pound king Ilia Topuria, who knocked out Volkanovski to claim the featherweight throne at UFC 298. Ilia Topuria and Volkanovski are rumored to be scheduled for a rematch at UFC 314 in April.

“How good is this? I’m very excited for Colby,” Volkanovski said in a video on the UFC’s Instagram. “There’s not a more deserving person than Colby Thicknesse. He’s probably the hardest worker I know on the planet. He’s got heart. He’s got the discipline. No one’s more committed than this guy …. He’s been my main training partn…

Allan Nascimento Replaces Steve Erceg, Meets Asu Almabayev at UFC Vegas 103

Asu Almabayev will get a different matchup than originally anticipated at UFC Vegas 103.

The promotion initially announced that Almabayev would lock horns with former flyweight title challenger Steve Erceg at the March 1 event. However, the Kazakhstan native will instead lock horns with Allan Nascimento on the same card. The new pairing was confirmed by UFC broadcast partner ESPN on its event page. Erceg has reportedly been moved to the UFC Mexico City card to face Brandon Moreno on March 29, but that booking has not been formally announced.

Almabaev has kicked off his promotiona tenure with four consecutive triumphs. He concluded a 3-0 2024 campaign with a three-round verdict over Matheus Nicolau at UFC Fight Night 245 this past October. The Brave Combat Federation veteran has won 17 straight professional outings dating back to September 2017.

After dropping his Octagon debut against Tagir Ulanbekov, Nascimento has rebounded to post back-to-…

Conor McGregor Rips Paul Hughes for Post-Fight Exchange with Khabib Nurmagomedov

🇮🇪🤔 Paul Hughes tells Khabib (referring to Conor Mcgregor):

"I am not like this other guy. I am my own man."🎥 @WillHarrisAOAF pic.twitter.com/bjJIkhgbyS

— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) January 29, 2025

Conor McGregor was not pleased with Paul Hughes after post-fight video showed “Big News” engaging in a respectful post-fight conversation with Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Hughes squared off against Usman Nurmagomedov in the PFL Road to Dubai main event last Saturday, losing a closely-contested majority decision in a widely-praised lightweight title clash. In a video captured by Anatomy of a Fighter, Hughes appears to refer to McGregor while speaking with Khabib, who was in his cousin’s corner for the bout.

“I’m not like this other guy,” Hughes says. “I’m my own man.”

Shortly after the bout, McGregor praised Hughes’ performance, claiming that his countryman “dominated the fight” while trashing the Nurmagomedovs in a since…

Chase Hooper vs. Jim Miller Booked for UFC 314 on April 12

Chase Hooper will look to add another veteran name to his ledger when he locks horns with Jim Miller at UFC 314.

The lightweight bout was first reported by McGregorRousey2 on X. UFC 314 takes place on April 12 at the Kaseya Center in Miami and also includes and women’s strawweight showdown between Virna Jandiroba and Xiaonan Yan.

The 25-year-old Hooper has won four straight in the Las Vegas-based promotion and is coming off a first-round submission of Clay Guida at UFC 310. “The Dream” has also bested the likes of Viascheslav Borshchev, Jordan Leavitt and Nick Fiore during his current winning streak.

Miller, who holds the record for most wins (27) and appearances (45) in UFC history, has won three of his last four outings. Most recently, the 41-year-old New Jersey native scored a first-round submission victory against Damon Jackson at UFC 309 last November.

Mauricio Ruffy Excited to Face ‘High Level Striker’ Bobby Green

Mauricio Ruffy is expecting a return to form against Bobby Green at UFC 313.

At UFC 309, Ruffy defeated James Llontop via unanimous decision in his second Octagon appearance. It was the first time that the Brazilian had gone the distance in 11 professional victories. The Fighting Nerds standout vows that the result will be different against Green.

“Every time I fight, my goal is to finish my opponent,” Ruffy told Sherdog.com. “I tried to do that in my last fight, but it’s no secret to anyone that my opponent [missed weight] and I had to approach more cautiously — but always looking for the KO. With Bobby Green, it will be no different. My range and his [aggressive] style will be the perfect [combination] for me to finish that fight.”

However, Ruffy makes it clear that winning by any means — not just a knockout — is his main priority.

"I want to build up to the knockout with lots of patience, but he is such a tough opponent, so I don’t …

Dennis Buzukja Temporarily Suspended for Altercation with Fan at UFC 310

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

Dennis Buzukja could face sanctions for scuffling with someone in the crowd at UFC 310.

During a meeting on Tuesday, the Nevada State Athletic Commission temporarily suspended the four-time UFC veteran for throwing punches at a man on his way back to the locker room after cornering Aljamain Sterling on Dec. 7 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili was also seen being restrained during the altercation.

Dvalishvili later posted evidence that the fan had ties to Umar Nurmagomedov and his team, and he claimed that the incident was orchestrated by his UFC 311 opponent. The fan involved was later identified as Arman Tugaev. Dvalishvili would go on to retain his bantamweight title with a unanimous decisi…

Bobby Green vs. Mauricio Ruffy Added to UFC 313 Lineup

Bobby Green will square off against Mauricio Ruffy in a lightweight showdown at UFC 313.

Multiple outlets confirmed the booking following an initial report from MMA Mania. UFC 313 takes place on March 8 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and is headlined by a light heavyweight championship clash between Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev. In the co-main event, Justin Gaethje will face Dan Hooker in a five-round, non-title affair.

Green, who now goes by his former moniker of “King,” has lost two of his last three Octagon appearances. Most recently, the 38-year-old veteran of 50 fights suffered a first-round submission loss against Paddy Pimblett at UFC 304 this past July.

After earning a UFC deal on Dana White's Contender Series in October 2023, Ruffy has kicked off his promotional tenure with back-to-back triumphs over Jamie Mullarkey and James Llontop. The 28-year-old Fighting Nerds representative has been victorious in 11 of his 12 professional outings…

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