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Yair Rodriguez Believes Win Over Brian Ortega Could Earn Him Another Title Shot

Yair Rodriguez believes he is not very far from title contention.

Rodriguez is coming off a third-round stoppage loss against Alexander Volkanovski in his first shot at featherweight gold at UFC 290 last July. The Mexican standout will next face Brian Ortega in a rematch in front of his home fans at UFC Mexico on Feb. 24.

“El Pantera” believes a title shot could be waiting on the other side of a win over Ortega.

“I think it’ll put me right there for the title shot again,” Rodriguez told Middle Easy. “Of course, that would have a lot to do with the [Ilia] Topuria vs. Volkanovski fight. I think that will dictate where the division will go and what fights there are to make. If 'Volk' wins, which I think he will and I win my next fight, I think a rematch could be a potential reality.”

Rodriguez acknowledges that the possibility of a title shot depends on the outcome of the UFC 298 title fight, where Volkanovski will look to defend his th…

ONE Championship Study Reveals Significant Growth in U.S. Market

ONE Championship’s share of viewership from mixed martial arts fans in the United States has grown significantly in recent months.

The Singapore-based promotion partnered with consumer research company GWI for a case study on how to increase brand awareness among fans in the U.S. market. With the insights it acquired, ONE was able to grow its audience in the U.S. by 46% over the course of a six-month period from December 2022 to May 2023.

“We've always known there was a passionate group of combat sports fans in the U.S. Year-on-year, we could see our metrics increasing organically there, and we knew there was a growing fan base,” said Jane Guo, vice president, head of analytics and insight at ONE. “It was really about finding the right partner to take it to the next level in terms of scale.”

Based on the data from ONE’s brand tracker study with GWI, the promotion was able to identify Amazon Prime as the ideal broadcast partner.

“Amazon is pro…

Coach: Sean Strickland Lost ‘Optics Battle’ Against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 297

Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis’ camps have the utmost respect for each other following their UFC 297 clash.

Strickland defended his middleweight strap agianst Du Plessis in the main event at UFC 297 last weekend in Toronto. Following a lot of drama, ranging from trash talk to a brawl leading up to the fight, the two delivered a competitive bout on fight night. “Stillknocks” eventually secured a closely-contested split-decision win to be crowned the new middleweight champ.

Strickland’s coach, Eric Nicksick believes his fighter did enough to get his hand raised against Du Plessis. However, the renowned trainer also thinks Strickland needed to win the “optics battle,” as it was an extremely close contest.

“Congratulations to [Dricus Du Plessis] and his team. I never met a more classy opposing fighter during fight week, along with the skills to back it up. I’m happy for you, your team, and your country, you made them proud,” said Nicksick…

Vitor Petrino vs. Tyson Pedro Booked for UFC Fight Night 238 on March 2

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

A light heavyweight clash has been added to UFC Fight Night 238.

Undefeated Brazilian standout Vitor Petrino (10-0) will take on Australian veteran Tyson Pedro (10-4) at the UFC Fight Night event, which is set to go down at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on March 2. The matchup was announced by Petrino on Instagram.

Petrino earned his Ultimate Fighting Championship contract with a technical knockout win over Rodolfo Bellato in an appearance on Dana White’s Contenders Series in September 2022. The Brazilian has since picked up three victories in the last year, including two finishes. In his most recent outing, Petrino scored a brutal Round 2 knockout win over Modestas Bukauskas in November.

Meanwhile, Pedro has gone 6-4 in hi…

Kayla Harrison to Make Bantamweight Debut vs. Holly Holm at UFC 300

Two-time Professional Fighters League champion Kayla Harrison has signed with the UFC for an Octagon debut on the biggest stage possible.

UFC CEO Dana White announced Tuesday night that Harrison will make her bantamweight debut against former champion Holly Holm at UFC 300 on April 13. Harrison has competed at both lightweight and featherweight but never at 135 pounds during her 17-fight professional tenure.

A two-time Olympic gold medalist, Harrison fulfilled her PFL contract at the 2023 Championships, where she earned a unanimous verdict against Aspen Ladd in a 150-pound catchweight affair. Harrison was twice a PFL champion at 155 pounds but came up short in her third title bid, falling to Larissa Pacheco in a massive upset at the conclusion of the 2022 season. Thus far, Harrison has only cut to 145 pounds once, when she defeated Courtney King via second-round TKO at Invicta FC 43.

Holm, meanwhile, is coming off a second-round submission …

Alonzo Menifield Replaces Dominick Reyes, Meets Carlos Ulberg at UFC Atlantic City

Alonzo Menifield will step in for Dominick Reyes and square off against Carlos Ulberg at UFC on ESPN 54.

The Las Vegas-based promotion announced the new light heavyweight booking on Tuesday. A reason for Reyes’ withdrawal was not given. UFC on ESPN 54 takes place on March 30 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and is headlined by a welterweight duel pitting Sean Brady against Vicente Luque.

Menifield is 4-0-1 in his last five Octagon appearances dating back to June 2022. Most recently, the 36-year-old Dana White's Contender Series alum scored a unanimous verdict against Dustin Jacoby at UFC 296 on Dec. 16.

Ulberg, meanwhile, has won five straight contests since dropping his promotional debut to Kennedy Nzechukwu at UFC 259. In his last outing, the City Kickboxing representative submitted Da Woon Jung in the third round of their clash at UFC 293.

Reyes has not competed since November 2022. The two-time light heavyweight ti…

‘Big’ John McCarthy Expects New Role with PFL, Bellator Following Acquisition

In recent years, “Big” John McCarthy was a consistent presence on Bellator MMA broadcasts.

That is likely to change following Professional Fighters League’s purchase of the California-based promotion. McCarthy, who was a longtime official before transitioning to the broadcast table, will remain with the company but expects that his role will change in the coming months.

“I am going to be staying with the PFL because I had a contract with Bellator, and it still has a year on it, so the PFL picked that up,” McCarthy told MMAjunkie.com. “Will my role be the same? I don’t think it’s going to be the same.

“I think it’s going to be more towards rules and regulations, scoring the fights and doing those things – making sure everyone understands what’s being done, if it’s being done in the correct way and what options do the officials have.”

In addition to a career as a referee, McCarthy helped to develop the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts…

UFC Fighter Josiah Harrell Needs $80K for Surgery to Treat Rare Brain Condition

Josiah Harrell needs at least $80,000 to help cover the surgery needed to treat the brain condition that forced him out of his Ultimate Fighting Championship debut.

The 25-year-old mixed martial artist recently launched a GoFundMe account to pay for the expenses associated with the procedure required to treat moyamoya, which is a “rare vascular disease of the brain in which the main arteries that supply blood to your brain become narrowed and blocked,” according to pennmedicine.org.

Harrell was supposed to make his first Octagon foray against Jack Della Maddalena on short notice at UFC 290, but a pre-fight brain scan caught the condition and forced him out of the fight. The Ohioan was supposed to undergo surgery shortly thereafter the July diagnosis, but financial issues have apparently complicated that situation.

“As of right now I cannot go any further with anything that has to do with surgery until I have [$80,000] up front,” Harrell w…

UFC, WWE Parent Company Appoints ‘The Rock’ to Board of Directors

TKO appoints Dwayne Johnson to Board of Directors@TheRock @WWE @ufc pic.twitter.com/bhTgADAEb7

— TKO (@TKOGrp) January 23, 2024

TKO Group Holdings — the parent company of both the UFC and WWE — has added a prominent name to its board of directors.

On Tuesday, the company announced that Dwayne Johnson, more commonly known as “The Rock,” will serve on the TKO Group Holdings board of directors. According to a release, “the appointment of Johnson reflects TKO’s commitment to delivering long-term value and strong performance for shareholders through strategic growth initiatives across both UFC and WWE.” Johnson is current a major motion picture star and also one of the most popular figures in professional wrestling history.

“My grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia, and my dad, Rocky ‘Soulman’ Johnson, would’ve never thought this day would come. Which is why I’m very humbled to have a seat at the table that has decades of hi…

Carlos Barreto: Israel Adesanya Controls UFC Middleweight Title Picture

Dricus Du Plessis' contested victory over Sean Strickland in the UFC 297 headliner left the immediate future of the middleweight division uncertain.

According to UFC Fight Pass Brazil commentator Carlos Barreto, Dana White should make an immediate rematch between Du Plessis and Strickland.

“You can’t say it was a robbery, the fight was really very competitive, but in my [view], and Demian Maia agreed with me, Strickland won four rounds — clearly 3 rounds — so the fairest thing would be an immediate rematch,” Barreto said on his weekly YouTube program Papo de Luta.

While offering live commentary of the fight with Maia, Barreto gave Rounds 1,2,3 and 5 to Strickland.

“When I came home I saw the fight again,” he said. “I could accept Dricus winning the third round. But Rounds 1, 2 and 5 were clear for Strickland. Anyway, it was a very tough match and an immediate rematch would be really fair in my personal view.”

Shortly after the eve…

Tom Aspinall Claims He Received Death Threats From Jon Jones’ Fans

The internet is a wild place, as Tom Aspinall recently learned.

The UFC interim heavyweight champion has been involved in a polite feud with undisputed champ Jon Jones for a while now. Aspinall recently revealed that his online back-and-forth has provoked death threats from fans of “Bones.”

“People on the internet are wild,” Aspinall told Lord Ping (h/t MMA Mania). “You have to kind of see it for what it is. It’s not real life, a lot of it comes from jealousy. People don’t like to see other people do well, unfortunately that’s the way of the world. With a lot of love comes a lot of hate as well. That’s the way the cookie crumbles, unfortunately.

“I’m human so it affects me sometimes. But I try to just turn a blind eye to it and just crack on. The internet is a strange place. I clicked on my message requests by accident the other day and people are sending me death threats for wanting to fight Jon Jones, who’s the best in the world and it’s m…

Neil Magny Holds No Grudge Against Ian Garry for Damaging Trash Talk

Neil Magny is ready to forgive Ian Garry despite the Irishman’s trash talk taking a toll on his personal life.

Magny dropped a unanimous decision in a short-notice booking against Garry at UFC 292 in August last year. Leading up to the fight, “The Haitian Sensation” had promised to put on a “father-like” beating on Garry. While Magny insisted that it was just trash talk, Garry twisted the context and accused his opponent of child abuse.

Unfortunately, Magny was also going through a divorce and a custody battle for his kids around the same time. The welterweight veteran claims Garry’s trash talk had legal repercussions on his personal life. However, he doesn’t harbor any ill feelings towards “The Future” and especially doesn’t want the Irishman to go through the same experience as himself. Magny instead wishes Garry can soon get a hold of his own personal life, which has also recently been in the headlines for the wrong reasons.

“At the end o…

Khamzat Chimaev Unhappy With Dana White for Not Delivering Promised Title Shot

Khamzat Chimaev wants the title shot that was allegedly promised to him by Dana White.

Chimaev moved up to middleweight this past October, welcoming Kamaru Usman to the division on short notice at UFC 294.

“Borz” went on to score a tightly-contested majority decision win over the former welterweight champ. While the outing marked only his third middleweight win under the Ultimate Fighting Championship banner, the Chechen claims to have been guaranteed a title shot by the UFC CEO for his next outing.

Chimaev was expecting to face the winner of Sean Strickland vs. Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 297 on Saturday. However, Du Plessis called out Israel Adesanya after dethroning Strickland and “The Last Stylebender” has also expressed interest in that bout.

While “Borz” still hasn’t given up hope of fighting for the title next, he made clear that he isn’t happy with recent developments.

“They promised me after Usman fight, ’You will for sure goin…

Malcolm Gordon Announces Retirement Following UFC 297 Loss

Malcolm Gordon has seemingly hung up his gloves.

The Canadian fighter recently took on Jimmy Flick at UFC 297 in front of his home crowd in Toronto, Canada. Gordon failed to make weight for the fight, which appeared to be a big factor early on as “X” smothered Flick with volleys of punches.

Gordon looked close to securing a finish when he ended up taking the wrestling standout to the ground. However, it was Flick who locked in a slick arm triangle to secure the finish in an impressive come-from-behind win in the second round. Gordon looked visibly dejected after the loss and was seen taking his gloves off inside the Octagon.

The 33-year-old subsequently wrote on his Instagram stories: “Retired.”

Malcolm Gordon posted this on his Instagram last night shortly after his heartbreaking loss to Jimmy Flick pic.twitter.com/p2J0Yk52S9

— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) January 21, 2024

Gordon was 12-3 as a pro w…

Ikram Aliskerov Out; Roman Kopylov Meets Anthony Hernandez at UFC 298

Ikram Aliskerov has been forced to withdraw from UFC 298 due to a staph infection.

As a result, Roman Kopylov will step in and face Anthony Hernandez on Feb. 17. The Las Vegas-based promotion initially confirmed Aliskerov’s exit over the weekend, and MMAFighting.com subsequently brought word of the new middleweight booking.

Unfortunately because of staph infection I had to cancel my fight. It was a great chance to jump to the top 15 and fight in this crazy fight card…See you guys after Ramadan

— ikram_aliskerov (@ikram_aliskerov) January 21, 2024

UFC 298 takes place at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, and is headlined by a featherweight championship clash between Alexander Volkanovski and Ilia Topuria. Hernandez vs. Kopylov is expected to take place on the evening’s main card.

Kopylov has been victorious in his last four Octagon appearances. Most recently, the 32-year-old Russian scored a second-round kno…

Sean Strickland Points to Accidental Headbutt as Key Factor in UFC 297 Defeat

Sean Strickland was very close to retaining his middleweight title in the UFC 297 main event this past Saturday night in Toronto.

Were it not for an accidental headbutt that he claims occurred in the second half of his fight against Dricus Plessis, Strickland believes he might have gotten the nod. Instead, it was Du Plessis who claimed the middleweight crown with a closely-contested split decision triumph.

Strickland has twice referenced the alleged headbutt, which wasn’t identified by referee Marc Goddard, on social media since his loss to Du Plessis.

“Well f—k haha … that headbutt really made it difficult to see, but I thought we got the job done,” Strickland wrote Sunday on X. “Blood and all!!! Onto the next one!!!. Thanks to everyone who supported me!!!!!”

Well fuck haha... man that headbutt really made it difficult to see but I thought we got the job done. Blood and all!!! Onto the next one!!! Thanks everyone who sup…

Ray Cooper III Replaces Magomed Magomedkerimov at PFL vs. Bellator Event

The Professional Fighters League vs. Bellator MMA Champions card has taken an early hit.

The PFL announced Monday that Magomed Magomedkerimov has withdrawn from the event due to an undisclosed injury. As a result, Ray Cooper III will step in against Jason Jackson on Feb. 24. While the original bout was slated for welterweight, Cooper vs. Jackson will be contested at a 182-pound catchweight. In addition, Biaggio Ali Walsh has a new opponent for his professional debut, as he will now face Emmanuel Palacio on the preliminary draw.

PFL vs. Bellator takes place at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and features multiple bouts matching champions from both organizations against one another. The card will be headlined by a heavyweight clash between 2023 PFL heavyweight champ Renan Ferreira and reigning Bellator heavyweight king Ryan Bader. The main card will air on pay-per-view via ESPN+.

A two-time PFL champion at welterweight, Cooper moved to…

ONE Championship to Hold Grappling Tournament in Qatar on Feb. 29

ONE Championship will hold a no-gi submission grappling tournament prior to its event in Qatar.

“Road to ONE: Doha” will take place at the Aspire Zone in Doha, Qatar, on Feb. 29 and spans five different weight classes. Winners in the advanced divisions will received $100,000 contracts to grapple for ONE Championship.

Advanced categories include one women’s division (115 pounds) and five men’s (135, 155, 170 and 185 pounds). To qualify for the advanced category, a competitor must be a brown belt or a black belt or have at least four years of experience. All grapplers must weigh-in before their first match. Further registration information for the event can be found here.

Matches are five minutes and wins can be secured via submission, tapout, verbal tapout and referee stoppage “due to imminent danger.” A decision victory will be awarded to the athlete with the most number of catches, which are near submissions. There are no draws.

“Road …

Jimmy Flick Hopes to Receive New Contract After UFC 297 Victory

Jimmy Flick believes — or at least hopes — that his UFC 297 win over Malcolm Gordon was enough to save his job.

Flick took on an overweight Gordon to start off the UFC 297 action in Toronto on Saturday. “The Brick” endured frenetic pressure and pace from Gordon in the first round and came from behind to score a second-round submission victory via arm triangle. The win allowed the grappling ace to snap a two-fight skid.

Flick subsequently revealed that it was the last fight on his UFC contract which he now hopes will be extended.

“Coming out like that with the fans against me, the guy didn’t make the weight, everything was against me,” Flick said during a post-fight media scrum. “If I lost tonight, I feel like I was going to lose my job, and I was going back to find a new job. That’s not what I wanted, so this means the world to me.”

“I am 2-2 in the UFC — four fights and never hit the scorecards and don’t plan on hitting the scorecards.…

Ian Garry Mocks Sean Strickland After Loss in UFC 297 Headliner

Reaction: Strickland vs Du Plessis pic.twitter.com/eFQVSIy58O

— “The Future” Ian Machado Garry (@iangarryMMA) January 21, 2024

Ian Garry didn’t miss an opportunity to mock Sean Strickland following his loss at UFC 297.

Strickland went to battle against Dricus Du Plessis in Saturday’s main event, losing via split decision in a bout that earned “Fight of the Night” honors. The fight was competitive enough that many observers thought it could have gone in Strickland’s favor.

However, Garry was unimpressed with the UFC 297 headliner.

“The f—ing state of this,” Garry said in a video posted on social media. “Zero technique. Slugging it out. Oh my God. I feel like I’m watching two amateurs fight. Oh my God. If I ever have a fight like that, please tell me to retire.”

Garry’s jab at Strickland isn’t entirely unprovoked, as the former middleweight champ initiated the rivalry by repeatedly calling the Irishman a “c—k”…

Amanda Nunes Won’t Rule Out UFC Return: ‘I Still Feel Like a Champion’

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While Amanda Nunes is definitely enjoying her retirement, a return to the Octagon isn’t totally out of the realm of possibility.

The former women’s two-division champion announced her retirement this past June following a victory over Irene Aldana at UFC 289, vacating both of her belts in the process.

Nunes was in attendance at UFC 297 on Saturday as Raquel Pennington earned a decision victory against Mayra Bueno Silva to win the vacant bantamweight strap. While “The Lioness” didn’t feel bad watching a new champ getting crowned, it was certainly a mixture of emotions.

“I was nervous [watching the title fight],” she said on the UFC 297 post-fight show on ESPN+. “I don’t know why, but I was very nervous. It was mixed feelings. I was happy and sad. When I saw ‘Rocky’ with the belt, I was OK. I wasn’t upset or anything like that.

“I think I did the right decision retiring, resting a little bit. Taking care of the babies. C…

Dana White Defends Sean Strickland’s Anti-LGBTQ Rant at UFC 297 Media Day

UFC CEO Dana White is taking the stance that he refuses to curtail freedom of speech even for Sean Strickland, who is known for voicing his unfiltered opinions on controversial topics.

Strickland has both received criticism and gained popularity over the years for his unabashed comments about women, gun control and the LGBTQ community, among other topics. Ahead of his recent UFC 297 title clash against Dricus Du Plessis, Strickland went on a profanity-filled rant directed at the LGBTQ community during media day in Toronto.

While such comments would have undoubtedly warranted a fine or suspension in most major sports leagues, White refuses to take away the freedom of expression. The UFC CEO claims to have had “zero” conversation with broadcast partners of sponsors regarding Strickland’s recent tirade. White also put the blame on the reporter, who he claims “baited” Strickland by asking if he stood by his previous comments on the LGBTQ community.

…

Dana White Denies That Conor McGregor Will Return in June

While Conor McGregor may claim otherwise, UFC CEO Dana White says the Irish star won’t be returning to action in June.

McGregor hasn’t fought since July 2021, when he suffered a broken leg in a trilogy bout against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. The Irishman served as rival coach against Michael Chandler on “The Ultimate Fighter 31,” and the two were initially supposed to clash by end of 2023. However, the bout never came to fruition.

The former UFC two-division champion most recently announced that he will be returning to action during the International Fight Week on June 29 against Chandler at 185 pounds.

However, White shut down the possibility of McGregor returning in June during the UFC 297 post-fight press conference on Saturday night.

“Uuuuh, no. When Conor is ready to fight, you know we’ll announce it,” White said. “That’s what we’ll do.”

Raquel Pennington Wants a Couple Title Defenses, ‘Then That’s a Wrap for Me’

The finish line could be in sight for 18-time UFC veteran Raquel Pennington.

But first, she has a couple more goals to accomplish.

Pennington captured the vacant women’s bantamweight title with a clear-cut unanimous decision victory over Mayra Bueno Silva in the UFC 297 co-main at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Saturday night. Shortly after that victory, she set her sights on a matchup with Julianna Pena, who was unable to compete for the vacant belt on Saturday due to injury.

For Pennington, a showdown with Pena carries a little extra meaning.

“That’s the fight that makes sense. I honestly thought that, for the world title, it would be me and Julianna, but she’s still injured,” Pennington said at Saturday’s post-fight press conference.

“That relationship goes back to 2013 when we were both on ‘The Ultimate Fighter.’ Let’s just say I learned Julianna’s personality then. It’s kind of one of those ones where you’re your own per…

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