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Manager: Robert Whittaker Had Emergency Surgery 24 Hours Before UFC Saudi Arabia

In addition to being paired with a short-notice opponent, Robert Whittaker faced more adversity heading into his showdown with Ikram Aliskerov in the UFC on ABC 6 main event.

Whittaker’s manager, Titus Day, told Fox Sports Australia that the former middleweight champion underwent emergency root canal surgery just 24 hours prior to the bout.

“Rob has a really bad abscess that flared up a week before flying out,” Day said. “He had headaches, tooth pain — it was like he’d been kicked in the side of the head. He couldn’t train, couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep. It was f—-ing painful.

“The whole side of his head was in pain so we had to rush him in for emergency surgery.”

“The Reaper” appeared to be no worse for wear, as he vanquished Aliskerov via first-round knockout on Saturday at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for his second consecutive triumph.

“Rob had already stopped training a few days prior to the surgery in Sydney,” Day s…

Alexander Volkanovski Offered to Step up on Short Notice at UFC 303

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Alexander Volkanovski seemingly can’t pass on an opportunity to save an Ultimate Fighting Championship card on short notice.

Volkanovski revealed that he recently offered to step up to save the upcoming UFC 303 card. Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler were originally scheduled to headline UFC 303 on June 29 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas before “Notorious” pulled out due to a broken toe. Rumors of the fight potentially falling off were afloat a week before it became official. Volkanovski was prompt to raise his hand for a short-notice UFC 303 matchup as soon as he heard those rumors.

“A lot happened with this card, obviously Conor McGregor was meant to be on it. I did put my hand up,”Volkanovski recently said on his YouTube channel. “I said, ‘You need a guy?’ I got told, obviously we all heard the whispers as you did… Whispers that they were looking for someone to maybe replace him. So, I was like, ‘Hey, you need someone? You know a guy.’…

Ian Garry Explains Why He Finds Upcoming Michael Page Fight Unappealing

Ian Garry continues to be disinterested in his upcoming fight with former Bellator MMA standout Michael Page.

Garry and Page will meet in a welterweight clash at UFC 303 on June 29 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It was Page who rallied hard for the booking against Garry, who was reluctant to accept it initially.

While the matchup has been made, Garry is still not interested in it with less than a week to go before fight night.

In his seven-fight undefeated UFC run, Garry has already been tested against perennially ranked veterans like Neil Magny and Geoff Neal. Going forward, Garry wants fights which would help him inch closer to his ultimate goal of winning UFC gold. However, fighting a lower-ranked Page doesn’t add to that in any manner, in Garry’s opinion. Garry would have preferred an opponent ranked higher than him such as Colby Covington. Garry explained his point of view during a recent appearance on "The MMA Hour.”

“I’m st…

Sergei Pavlovich Issues a Statement on ‘Emotional’ Loss Against Alexander Volkov

Sergei Pavlovich has opened up for the first time on his loss against Alexander Volkov at UFC on ABC 6 last weekend.

Pavlovich was a sizeable favorite going into the co-main event against Volkov in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. While many were expecting an early finish from Pavlovich, Volkov picked his opponent apart throughout the course of three rounds to earn a dominant unanimous decision win.

The otherwise soft-spoken Pavlovich was seen shoving his opponent, also his former sparring partner, after the fight. Pavlovich recently admitted that the loss was an emotional one for him. Having scored 15 of his 18 career wins via knockout so far, Pavlovich believes he made a mistake in desperately hunting for another highlight-reel KO.

“It wasn’t my day; nothing went according to plan,” Pavlovich wrote on social media. “I was ready for anything, but I was too focused on getting a knockout and took too many unnecessary hits. The result was a loss by point…

Asa Ten Pow Returns to MMA, Meets Carlos Bumina-ang at ONE on Prime Video 24

Kickboxer Asa Ten Pow will return to mixed martial arts for the first time in nearly three years at One on Prime Video 24.

Ten Pow will lock horns with Carlo Bumina-ang in a bantamweight (145-pound) bout at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on Aug. 2, Sherdog has learned. ONE on Prime Video 24 features an interim 125-pound title clash pitting Jarred Brooks against Gustavo Balart and airs live on Prime Video in the United States.

Known as “The American Ninja,” Ten Pow hasn’t competed in MMA since a two-fight stint under the Titan FC banner in 2021. He defeated Earnest Walls via first-round TKO in his pro debut at Titan FC 72, but his second appearance was ruled a no contest due to an illegal knee. Ten Pow has experience in kickboxing, boxing and muay thai and is the founder of the Florida Kickboxing Academy. He boasts a 2-1 mark in muay thai under the ONE banner, most recently defeating Rambolek Tor Yotha via third-round knockout this past September…

PFL 6 Update: Logan Storley Gets New Opponent in Sioux Falls Co-Main Event

𝗢𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟: Your Updated PFL Sioux Falls Fight Card!

•Laureano Staropoli is out•New Matchup: Logan Storley vs Luca Poclit•New Matchup: Tyler Diamond vs Brett Johns•New Start Time: 6:30pm ET on ESPN+ / 10pm ET pic.twitter.com/b9qDwyjusH

— PFL (@PFLMMA) June 24, 2024

Logan Storley will be facing an opponent change with less than a week to go before his second Professional Fighters League appearance.

The promotion announced on Monday that Laureano Staropoli, Storley’s original opponent, has withdrawn from the event and will be replaced by Luca Poclit in a new welterweight season bout at PFL 6 on Friday. Poclit was originally booked against Zach Juusola on the evening’s undercard.

PFL 6 takes place at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and is headlined by a featherweight tilt between Brendan Loughnane and Justin Gonzales. Storley vs. Poclit is currently listed as the co-main event. The main card airs o…

Conor McGregor, Dana White Offer Contrasting Views on Timeline for Irish Star’s Return

"I'm walking in there 100% Conor McGregor" 🇮🇪

Conor McGregor joins Dan Hardy in the Cage to speak on Sinead Kavanagh and his fight with Michael Chandler in the future!#BellatorDublin | LIVE NOW on MAX🌍 https://t.co/Dpuq4Xv6Jh pic.twitter.com/TZPc29fz62

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) June 22, 2024

Conor McGregor was in the public eye over the weekend, attending Bellator Champions Series Dublin in support of SBG Ireland teammate Sinead Kavanagh.

That also meant that the Irish star had the opportunity to address the severity of the broken toe that forced him to withdraw from his proposed matchup with Michael Chandler in the UFC 303 main event. The former two-division champion hasn’t fought since suffering a broken leg in a loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021.

“The injury is a nuisance. It’s painful,” McGregor told SevereMMA in a backstage interview at Bellator Dublin. “I’m not going to lie, it’s very, very …

Rinat Fakhretdinov Calls Out Neil Magny After Besting ‘Underrated’ Nicolas Dalby

Rinat Fakhretdinov wants a ranked opponent after his win over Nicolas Dalby at UFC on ABC 6 on Saturday.

A heavy favorite going into the fight, Fakhretdinov was in for a rather unpleasant surprise against the underdog Dalby. Notorious for upsetting the odds, Dalby came close to doing so once again as he gave Fakhretdinov a run for his money. Fakhretdinov eventually earned a split-decision victory that many believe could have easily gone the other way.

Fakhretdinov wasn’t satisfied with the nature of the win, as he was looking to secure a finish. However, the Russian realized why his opponent, whom he now considers the most underrated fighter at welterweight, came in riding a four-fight winning streak.

“I’m satisfied with the fight. I’m not satisfied with the result, though,” Fakhretdinov told Red Corner MMA. “I wanted to win convincingly and get the finish. But now I know why Dalby was on a four-fight winning streak. He’s a very solid opponent…

Brian Ortega Reveals Motivation for Accepting Diego Lopes Fight on Short Notice

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Brian Ortega had a larger goal in mind while accepting his upcoming fight against Diego Lopes.

A high caliber featherweight matchup between Ortega and Lopes is set to co-headline UFC 303 on Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. While one might expect Ortega to have been lured by a huge paycheck, “T-City” claims his fight purse for UFC 303 is not much higher than his average UFC salary. Ortega revealed that he had another reason for accepting the Lopes fight.

Ortega, who has spoken up about mental health on several past occasions, attended a camp at his church directed towards improving men’s mental health. After Ortega enjoyed the camp with his kids, the pastor told him they needed to raise $100,000 to keep things running. And the Lopes fight offer came at the right time for the former UFC featherweight title contender.

“Obviously, they changed up the pay a little bit but it’s not more than you think,” Ortega told Sha…

Ikram Aliskerov Calls It ‘An Honor’ to Fight Robert Whittaker at UFC Saudi Arabia

Ikram Aliskerov is all class in the aftermath of his loss to Robert Whittaker at UFC on ABC 6.

Aliskerov stepped up on short notice to replace Khamzat Chimaev against Whittaker in the Saturday’s main event at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. While many expected a close contest, Whittaker took less than two minutes to knock Aliskerov out.

Weighing in on his loss, Aliskerov said that he was well aware of what he was getting into while accepting the fight. Aliskerov is also a fan of Whittaker and considers it a privilege to have fought “Bobby Knuckles.”

“I have failed but it’s all good,” Aliskerov told Ushatayka (translation via Red Corner MMA). “It’s just a sport, no excuses. I was fully aware of the risks I was taking. To be honest with you, Rob has always been one of my favorite fighters. I’ve been following his career. I’m not sure how to put it the right way, it was an honor for me to fight him as he’s one of those fighters that …

Johnny Walker: My Head Wasn’t in the ‘Right Place’ Against Volkan Oezdemir

Johnny Walker is looking to go back to the drawing board following his loss against Volkan Oezdemir.

The light heavyweight clash between Walker and Oezdemir began the main card action at UFC on ABC 6 on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Swiss veteran brutally knocked out Walker, rendering him unconscious with one last follow-up shot at the 2:28 mark of Round 1.

Walker has now opened up on his loss while also confirming that he didn’t sustain any lasting injuries. The Brazilian felt that his head was just not in the right place despite having done everything perfectly leading up to the fight. Walker now plans on rewatching the fight to figure out what went wrong.

“I’m good. Just a little scratch on my lips… I just arrived at home with my little champ. It wasn’t really good night for me,” Walker said in a video on Instagram. “I don’t know what happened. I’m gonna have to figure out, watch the fight again and see what I did. I don’t think I…

Daniel Rodriguez, Dana White React to Kelvin Gastelum’s Weight Cut Struggles

Daniel Rodriguez may have paid the price for agreeing to face Kelvin Gastelum at 185 pounds, but it wasn’t all bad news for the 37-year-old Californian.

Rodriguez and Gastelum were initially supposed to square off at welterweight at UFC on ABC 6, but terms of the bout were altered when Gastelum arrived in Saudi Arabia for fight week overweight and requested the fight take place at middleweight. Rodriguez elected to go forward with the matchup and lost a unanimous decision on Saturday at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. However, “D-Rod” did reap some rewards as a result of competing at a heavier weight class than initially expected.

“All right, y’all. I’m done complaining about the fight. F—k it. It happened,” Rodriguez said in a video on his Instagram stories. “I knew the risk. With the risk, came great rewards. I lost the fight but I gained so much more in return: a ton a respect from the fight community, a nice raise, six-fight contract, 3…

Ramazan Kuramagomedov: Winning Bellator Title ‘Crazy Emotional’ Moment for Me

Ramazan Kuramagomedov would like for anyone who competes in mixed martial arts to have the opportunity to experience what he did on Saturday.

The 27-year-old Dagestani took a unanimous decision triumph over Jason Jackson in the Bellator Champions Series Dublin headliner, capturing the promotion’s welterweight title in the process. Kuramagomedov banked the first three rounds on the scorecards, then held off a late surge from Jackson to end his opponent’s eight-fight winning streak. Kuramagomedov is now 13-0 as a professional.

“This is crazy emotional for me. I can’t explain this. I wish for every [fighter] who comes to this sport, I want them to feel this moment, what I feel today,” Kuramgomedov said in a backstage interview with Bellator.

“Every night when I go to sleep, I was thinking about this belt. And every morning when I wake up I was thinking about this belt,” he added. “I was prepared for five hard rounds. Today I did five rounds and I…

Amanda Lemos vs. Virna Jandiroba Elevated to UFC on ESPN 60 Headliner

Amanda Lemos and Virna Jandiroba will now have five rounds with which to work.

The strawweight bout has been elevated to the main event for the UFC on ESPN 60 on July 20. The news was announced during the UFC on ABC 6 broadcast on Saturday and has since been confirmed by multiple outlets. UFC on ESPN 60 takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and also includes a women’s flyweight showdown between Tracy Cortez and Miranda Maverick.

A former Invicta FC champion, Jandiroba has been victorious in her last three Octagon appearances. Most recently, the 35-year-old Brazilian outpointed Lupita Godinez at UFC on ESPN 54 on March 30. She has also earned decision wins over Marina Rodriguez and Angela Hill during her current winning streak.

After coming up short in a 115-pound title bid against Weili Zhang at UFC 292 last August, Lemos returned to the win column in her last outing, as she took a unanimous verdict against Mackenzie Dern at UFC 298. The 36-year-old Br…

Robert Whittaker Addresses Possibility of Future Fight with ‘Shara Bullet’

Robert Whittaker appreciates the respect Sharabutdin Magomedov has shown for him.

Both Whittaker and Magomedov won “Performance of the Night” bonuses for their respective stoppage wins at UFC on ABC 6 at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday. Whittaker took less than two minutes to knock out Ikram Aliskerov, who replaced Khamzat Chimaev on nine days’ notice in the main event of the night. Meanwhile, Magomedov put on a striking masterclass to secure a late stoppage over Brazilian debutant Antonio Trocoli, who took the fight on three days’ notice.

Whittaker, who watched Magomedov’s fight against Trocoli, was impressed by the Dagestani’s performance. However, “Bobby Knuckles” noted that Trocoli started to fatigue after a hectic flurry early in the first round.

“I did [watch his fight]. The guy he fought was tired man, very tired,” Whittaker said at the post-fight press conference. “Not taking anything away from Shara. I like the …

Alexander Volkov Explains Post-Fight Altercation with Sergei Pavlovich

Tensions flared between Alexander Volkov and Sergei Pavlovich following their heavyweight bout on Saturday.

Volkov picked Pavlovich apart from the outside to score a unanimous decision win in the co-main event at UFC on ABC 6 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. When Volkov walked up to his opponent to shake hands after the fight, Pavlovich shoved his fellow countryman and former sparring partner. Volkov subsequently revealed that Pavlovich cursed at him, which was out of character for the heavyweight. Volkov believes it is Pavlovich who has a problem with him and should be the one to initiate a resolution.

“To be honest this is the first time really that I ever heard Sergei curse because he kind of told me to, well I’m not sure what he said. But basically, I once in a while allow myself to curse, but this is the first time I heard him maliciously use curse words in my direction,” Volkov said at Saturday’s post-fight press conference. “So, I mean if he’s got …

Paul Hughes Expects Ian Garry to ‘Make It Look Easy’ Against Michael Page

VICIOUS GROUND AND POUND! 🔥

Paul Hughes stops Bobby King via second round TKO in his Bellator debut! 🇮🇪#BellatorDublin | LIVE NOW on MAX🌍 https://t.co/Dpuq4Xv6Jh pic.twitter.com/B2BbCtlGPZ

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) June 22, 2024

Paul Hughes has a bold prediction for Ian Garry’s upcoming UFC fight.

Garry will trade leather with former Bellator MMA superstar Michael Page at UFC 303 on June 29 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Page, who has built a career off of highlight-reel finishes, expects to outclass Garry on the feet. While it is almost a pick ‘em matchup, Hughes predicts an easy night at the office for his friend and fellow countryman.

“I think it’s a very tough fight, but I honestly think that Ian’s gonna make it look easy,” Hughes said at the Bellator Dublin post-fight press conference. “I think he’s gonna make it look easy against MVP. I think he’s gonna chop him down low, and I think Ian’s obviously …

Felipe Lima Motivated by Corner Pep Talk Before Third Round at UFC on ABC 6

Credit: Getty/UFC Credit: Getty/UFC Credit: Getty/UFC

Felipe Lima credits his corner for helping him find the second wind in his Ultimate Fighting Championship debut on Saturday.

Lima replaced Melsik Baghdasaryan against Muhammadjon Naimov on five days’ notice at UFC on ABC 6 on Saturday in Saudi Arabia. The Brazilian ,who usually fights at bantamweight, also stepped up to 145 pounds for his UFC debut against Naimov. While Lima wasn’t particularly concerned about his opponent’s six-fight winning streak going into the bout, he admitted to being a little nervous about fighting under the UFC’s bright lights.

“I mean yeah, I kind of was nervous, yeah,” Lima told ESPN. “It’s not because of the guy or anything like that. I was nervous [about] how I’m gonna perform in the UFC. Many people, bigger cage, it’s a dream come true. And just everything in less than one week, five days. It was hard but I managed.”

Lima went toe-to-toe with Naimov for two …

Bellator Champions Series Dublin Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Sherdog's live Bellator Champions Series Dublin coverage will begin Friday at 12 p.m. ET. Round 1 Sherdog Scores Tristen Critchfield scores the round:J.L. Kirven scores the round:Christian Stein scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Tristen Critchfield scores the round:J.L. Kirven scores the round:Christian Stein scores the round:

Round 3 Sherdog Scores Tristen Critchfield scores the round:J.L. Kirven scores the round:Christian Stein scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Tristen Critchfield scores the round:J.L. Kirven scores the round:Christian Stein scores the round: Round 2 Sherdog Scores Tristen Critchfield scores the round:J.L. Kirven scores the round:Christian Stein scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Tristen Critchfield scores the round:J.L. Kirven scores the round:Christian Stein scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Tristen Critchfield scores the round:J.L. Kirven scores the round:Christian Ste…

UFC on ABC 6 Bonuses: Robert Whittaker Leads Four ‘POTN’ Winners

Robert Whittaker reminded everyone why he’s still one of the best in the sport at 185 pounds.

Faced with a last-minute opponent change in the UFC on ABC 6 headliner, “The Reaper” pocketed a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus for making short work of Iskram Aliskerov on Saturday at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The former middleweight king, who was originally slated to face Khamzat Chimaev, knocked his foe out at the 1:49 mark of Round 1 to secure his ninth career bonus with the UFC.

Meanwhile, Sharabutdin Magomedov received a $50,000 check for his finish of Antonio Trocoli in a featured middleweight affair. “Shara Bullet” began the fight-ending sequence with a knee to the chin before unloading with a series of punches to force the stoppage 2:27 into the third frame.

Elsewhere, former light heavyweight title challenger Volkan Oezdemir earned a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus for his knockout of Johnny Walker in a 205-p…

Ramazan Kuramagomedov Dethrones Jason Jackson at Bellator Dublin

AND NEW! 👑

Ramazan Kuramagomedov continues on his unbeaten streak and captures the Bellator Welterweight Title after his unanimous decision win over Jason Jackson!#BellatorDublin | LIVE NOW on MAX🌍 https://t.co/Dpuq4Xv6Jh pic.twitter.com/APSUTfEcSm

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) June 22, 2024

The Ramazan Kuramagomedov era has begun.

The undefeated Russian dethroned Bellator MMA welterweight champion Jason Jackson by a gritty unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47) in Saturday’s Bellator Champions Series Dublin main event at 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland. Kuramagomedov (13-0) jumped out to an early lead with his dominant wrestling and slick southpaw counter-punching. Jackson (18-5) seemed hesitant to move forward, where he was often met with a left hand, calf kick or takedown attempt. It wasn’t until Round 4 when Jackson started to find momentum. The Kill Cliff FC staple took Kuramagomedov to the mat and threatened a gui…

Robert Whittaker Stops Ikram Aliskerov Inside Two Minutes at UFC on ABC 6

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight king Robert Whittaker (26-7, 17-5 UFC) was unfazed by a late opponent change and he proved again tonight that he is still one of the premier 185-pound competitors in mixed martial arts. Whittaker knocked out rising star Ikram Aliskerov (15-2, 2-1 UFC) in the UFC on ABC 6 main event, which took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Whittaker, who was originally slated to face Khamzat Chimaev, sent a message to the rest of the division by becoming the second man – after Chimaev – to defeat Aliskerov. After establishing his jab during the opening minute, Whittaker badly wobbled Aliskerov with a right hook. The Russian stumbled backward against the cage and Whittaker closed in with an uppercut that dropped him to his knees. Whittaker then landed three left hands to the side of a dazed and defenseless Aliskerov’s face before referee Marc Goddard waved off the fight at the 1:49 mark of Round 1. Whittaker has won two in a row this year…

UFC on ABC 6 ‘Whittaker vs. Aliskerov’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Sherdog's live UFC on ABC 6 coverage will begin Saturday at 12 p.m. ET. BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Xiao (-115), Lee (-105)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Ben Duffy scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Devin Tejada scores the round:

Round 2 Sherdog Scores Ben Duffy scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Devin Tejada scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Ben Duffy scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Devin Tejada scores the round: The Official Result BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Gadzhiyasulov (-325), Ribeiro (+260)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Ben Duffy scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Devin Tejada scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Ben Duffy scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Devin Tejada scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Ben Duffy scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Devin Tejada scores the round:The Official Result BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: G…

Heavyweights Tai Tuivasa, Jairzinho Rozenstruik to Meet at UFC 305 in Perth

A heavyweight scrap pitting Tai Tuivasa against Jairzinho Rozenstruik has been added to the UFC 305 lineup.

Multiple outlets confirmed the pairing after Tuivasa initially revealed the matchup on Alex Pereira’s video blog. UFC 305 takes place at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, on Aug. 17 and is headlined by a middleweight championship bout between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya.

🚨 Tai Tuivasa says he has a fight booked against Jairzinho Rozenstruik at #UFC305 in Perth 👀

🎥 YT / @AlexPereiraUFC #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/3GYA7a4vjX

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) June 21, 2024

Tuivasa is mired in a four-fight losing streak under the UFC banner. During that stretch, “Bam Bam” has been finished by the likes of Marcin Tybura, Alexander Volkov, Sergei Pavlovich and Ciryl Gane. That skid was preceded by a five-fight Octagon winning streak for the affable Aussie.

Rozenstruik, meanwhile, has won two of his las…

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