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Jon Jones Willing to Vacate Heavyweight Title After UFC 309 to Fight Alex Pereira

Jon Jones clarifies that the heavyweight title would not necessarily have to be at stake if he were to fight Alex Pereira and he has another belt in mind.

Full interview with the 🐐 coming soon... pic.twitter.com/R43YlfB9Ze

— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) November 11, 2024

Jon Jones remains more interested in a future fight against Alex Pereira than a heavyweight title unification bout with Tom Aspinall.

Jones was originally supposed to defend his heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic at UFC 295 in November 2023 before he was forced out with an injury. Tom Aspinall went on to knockout Sergei Pavlovich in a short-notice interim title fight on the same card.

Despite Aspinall having defended his title since then, Jones has insisted on defending his strap against Miocic at UFC 309 on Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York. And “Bones” seemingly won’t grant Aspinall a title unifier even after UFC 309. Whil…

Three Matchups Revealed for UFC 312 in Sydney on Feb. 8

🚨 First bout drop for Sydney 🚨

Who else do you want to see on the card!?

✈️🎟️ #UFC312 | #FeelNewSydney | Feb 9 | Details at https://t.co/u5jz4l3fxF pic.twitter.com/kGmCzdBsrh — UFC_AUSNZ (@UFC_AUSNZ) November 11, 2024

Three new fights — each featuring an Australian — have been added to the UFC 312 card scheduled for February.

Jimmy Crute (12-4) will take on Marcin Prachnio (17-8) at light heavyweight in front of home fans at UFC 312 on Feb. 8 at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia. “The Brute” hasn’t won a fight since 2020, squeezing in a majority draw between three losses. Meanwhile, Poland’s Prachnio has alternated wins and losses since June 2021, most recently suffering a submission loss against Modestas Bukauskas at UFC 304 this past July.

Australian debutant Quillan Salkilld (7-1) will take on India’s Anshul Jubli (7-1) in a lightweight matchup on the same card. Salkilld earned his contract with…

Rafael Cordeiro Recalls Hotel Grappling Session Between Jon Jones, Fabricio Werdum

Mike Tyson's trainer, two-time mixed martial arts coach of the year nominee Rafael Cordeiro, shares an amazing story involving @JonnyBones and @FabricioWerdum having a late-night grappling match in a Brazilian hotel room approximately 10 years ago. Via @alonsopvt #UFC309 pic.twitter.com/FNfcTTNMve

— Sherdog (@sherdogdotcom) November 11, 2024

Jon Jones and Fabricio Werdum never crossed paths in the Octagon, but they did have a memorable late-night grappling session in a Brazilian hotel room many years ago.

Both Jones and Werdum were in Goiania, the largest city in the Brazilian state of Goias, for an event in the area. Kings MMA trainer Rafael Cordeiro recalls inviting Jones to train with them earlier in the day, but “Bones” politely declined, saying he was there only to support his team.

Things apparently changed that evening after Cordeiro, Jones, Werdum and Wanderlei Silva went to dinner. After the meal, the group decided to head to …

Lineup Finalized for PFL MENA Championships on Nov. 29

𝗢𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟: Your FULL 2024 #PFLWorldChampionship Fight Card!! 👊

𝙄𝙏 𝘼𝙇𝙇 𝘾𝙊𝙈𝙀𝙎 𝘿𝙊𝙒𝙉 𝙏𝙊 𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙎! Lives will be changed on November 29th 🏆💰

[ #PFLWorldChampionship | Friday, Nov 29th | 3PM ET | ESPN+] pic.twitter.com/XW8SCCXZzc — PFL (@PFLMMA) November 11, 2024

The card for the upcoming PFL MENA Championships is now complete.

The Professional Fighters League on Monday unveiled the full lineup for the event, which in addition to four previously-announced title bouts, features a full slate of showcase fights.

Those showcase bouts are as follows: Mansour Barnaoui vs. Alfie Davis at lightweight; Slim Trabelsi vs. Abraham Bably at heavyweight; Jesus Pinedo vs. Jeremy Kennedy at featherweight; Asael Adjoudj vs. Jose Perez at featherweight and Costello van Steenis vs. Joao Dantas at middleweight.

PFL MENA takes place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Nov. 29 and will serve as a lead-in to the PFL World Championships at t…

Daniel Cormier: Jon Jones Isn’t Afraid of Tom Aspinall

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Daniel Cormier doesn’t think former foe Jon Jones is afraid of Tom Aspinall — or anyone else, for that matter.

Jones defends his heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic in the main event at UFC 309 on Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York. Meanwhile, interim champ Aspinall will be the backup for the fight.

Aspinall might never get a title unification bout, with both Jones and Miocic having hinted at retirement after UFC 309. In case Jones chooses to continue, he has already dismissed a potential title unifier against Aspinall in favor of a matchup against light heavyweight champ Alex Pereira. According to Jones, “Honey Badger” is yet to earn his dues to fight a legend like him. Cormier doesn’t agree with Jones saying the interim champ is yet to earn his dues for a title fight.

“For Jon to say he’s a nobody — but is he really? He’s the world champ,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “Honestly, that’s who he is. He is …

Carlos Prates Targets Jack Della Maddalena, Geoff Neal After UFC Vegas 100 Win

Carlos Prates tells Kamaru Usman what the UFC has planned for him 😂

Kamaru: “News to me!” 😭

(h/t @MMAPROSPICK) #UFC #MMA

pic.twitter.com/unFCJZCU6T

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) November 10, 2024 Carlos Prates is aiming high after his victory over Neil Magny.

Prates took on Magny in his first main event at UFC Vegas 100 — also known as UFC Fight Night 247 — at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday. “The Nightmare” made quick work of the veteran, dispatching him with a glancing left hand at the 4:50 mark of the opening frame.

Prates subsequently called out Jack Della Maddalena for a matchup at UFC 312, which goes down on Feb. 8 at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia. While Australia is home ground for Maddalena, Prates also loves the country because his daughter lives there. If that matchup doesn’t materialize yet, the Brazilian has his eyes set on another gatekeeper, Geoff Neal.

“Of course I w…

Tom Aspinall Praises Jon Jones’ MMA Knowledge, Ability to Vary Attacks

👀Tom Aspinall breaks down Jon Jones’ fighting style.

“You can’t deny that Jon Jones is one of the best MMA fighters ever.”

🎥 @ufcontnt ▫️ pic.twitter.com/p8U8Xf8e6R — Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) November 10, 2024

Tom Aspinall gave Jon Jones his due respect while recently breaking down his fighting style.

Jones puts his heavyweight title on the line against Stipe Miocic in the main event at UFC 309 on Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York. They were originally scheduled to fight at UFC 295 in November 2023, but Jones was forced out with an injury. Aspinall went on defeat Sergei Pavlovich in a short-notice interim title fight on the same card.

Despite Aspinall having defended his title against Curtis Blaydes since then, Jones remains adamant on facing Miocic, who hasn’t fought since a brutal knockout loss against Francis Ngannou in 2021. Aspinall might never get the chance to unify the title, as both Jone…

Broadcast Team Set for UFC 309

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It will be a familiar trio at the broadcast table for UFC 309 on Saturday.

Jon Anik will handle play-by-play, while Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier will join him to provide color commentary for the event. Rogan returns to his role after taking his typical hiatus from the promotion’s international events. UFC 308, the Las Vegas-based organization’s most recent pay-per-view, was held in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 26.UFC 309: Jones vs Miocic. Saturday at 10 ET on ESPN+. Order Now!

Meanwhile, Megan Olivi will be the roving reporter, giving pre- and post-fighting interviews as well as providing breaking news updates. MMAjunkie.com was first to report the UFC 309 broadcast assignments.

UFC 309 takes place at Madison Square Garden in New York and is headlined by a heavyweight championship showdown between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic. The main card airs on pay-per-view via ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. The prelims begin on ESPN+ at 6 p.m. ET/3…

Sharabutdin Magomedov Prefers Michael Page Over Paulo Costa as Potential Foe

Shara Bullet says he’d be down to fight Michael ‘Venom’ Page, and promises not to wrestle him 👀🔥

“I’m not going to wrestle him. I’ll always stick to my fighting style.”

🎥 @RedCorner_MMA #UFC #MMApic.twitter.com/CKNbwffzxH — Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) November 9, 2024

Sharabutdin Magomedov believes Michael Page is more reliable than Paulo Costa.

Magomedov was recently asked about Costa and “MVP” as potential opponents for his next fight. While “Shara Bullet” would like to fight both, he doesn’t think Costa is very reliable considering the Brazilian’s history of pulling out of fights. Magomedov would prefer Page, who is also a dynamic striker.

Despite being from Dagestan, which is home to some of the best wrestlers in the world, Magomedov is primarily a striker who has competed in muay thai and Lethwei for much of his career. And Magomedov doesn’t plan on turning into a wrestler in a potential clash against a f…

Charles Oliveira Seeks Inspiration from Past Version of Himself at UFC 309

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Charles Oliveira (34-10) wants to be fearless in his UFC 309 clash against Michael Chandler (23-8).

Oliveira and Chandler will clash in a five-round co-main event at UFC 309 on Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York. Having previously shared the Octagon with Chandler, “do Bronx” respects his opponent but also promises not to back down.

“I think he’s a tough guy,” Oliveira told Shakiel Mahjouri. “A guy who always pushes forward like myself. I don’t want to walk back. I want to push forward as well. I want to go for the win, and I want to go for the win soon.”

Oliveira and Chandler previously fought at UFC 262 in 2021, when the Brazilian scored a spectacular come-from-behind technical knockout in the second round. However, Chandler had Oliveira in serious trouble in the first stanza, which is evident from two judges scoring it 10-8 in favor of the American.UFC 309: Jones vs Miocic. Saturday at 10 ET on ESPN+. Order Now! <…

Michael Chandler Vows Not to Rush for Finish Against Charles Oliveira

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Michael Chandler promises to bring a different version of himself at UFC 309.

Chandler faces Charles Oliveira in a five-round co-headliner on Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York. The two will be running it back from their initial encounter at UFC 262 in 2021, when Chandler suffered a second-round technical knockout loss.

Chandler and Oliveira clashed for the vacant lightweight title in the main event at UFC 262. “Iron” hurt Oliveira multiple times in the opening stanza, even threatening the jiu-jitsu specialist with a guillotine. However, “do Bronx” turned the tables early in Round 2 by clipping Chandler with a left hook and raining a barrage of punches to get the stoppage.

Chandler claims he will right some wrongs from that fight in their rematch at UFC 309. The former Bellator champ plans to gradually break his opponent down instead of rushing for the finish like he did in their first matchup. Chandler believes he …

Carlos Prates Extends Streak, Flattens Neil Magny in UFC Vegas 100 Headliner

Carlos Prates blew open the gate to the Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight elite.

The burgeoning Vale Top Team and Fighting Nerds star punched out “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 16 semifinalist Neil Magny in the first round of their UFC Vegas 100 headliner on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Magny (29-13, 22-12 UFC) checked out 4:50 into Round 1, victimized by one of the sport’s fastest-rising talents at 170 pounds.

Prates (21-6, 4-0 UFC) stayed patient against an experienced, cagy adversary. Magny made passes at a variety of takedowns, none of them successful. He found himself nullified in the clinch, too. Late in the first round, Prates denied a takedown, pursued the Elevation Fight Team mainstay across the Octagon, pinned him to the fence and cracked him with a slashing left hand to the temple. Magny crashed face first to the canvas. No follow-up shots were required.

The 31-year-old Prates has won 11 fights in a row, 10 of them f…

UFC Vegas 100 ‘Magny vs. Prates’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to its home base of Las Vegas for the final time of 2024 Saturday at 4 p.m. ET with UFC Vegas 100. The event is also known as UFC Fight Night 247. BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Mullins (-238), Sygula (+195)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:

Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round: The Official Result BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Gore (-198), Trocoli (+164)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pe…

UFC Vegas 100 Prelims: Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos Smashes Newcomer Zach Scroggin

Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos was not in a charitable mood.

The CM System mainstay bounced back from his June 1 decision defeat to Randy Brown and swept aside Ultimate Fighting Championship newcomer Zach Scroggin with punches in the first round of their featured UFC Vegas 100 welterweight prelim on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. A late-notice replacement for Nicolas Dalby, the previously unbeaten Scroggin (7-1, 0-1 UFC) required rescue 1:15 into Round 1.

Zaleski dos Santos (25-8-1, 11-4-1 UFC) backed up the Marathon MMA prospect with stinging low kicks and stepped into a right hand that had him ducking for cover. Scroggin—who missed weight by three pounds—retreated to the canvas under considerable fire but found no refuge there. Zaleski dos Santos turned up the heat with rapid-fire hammerfists and punches, necessitating the stoppage.

Meanwhile, Chicago Fight Team’s Charlie Radtke wiped out Matthew Semelsberger with punches in the first round …

UFC Vegas 100 Bonuses: Carlos Prates Among Four ‘Performance of the Night’ Winners

Carlos Prates is now 4-for-4 when it comes to securing post-fight bonuses in the Octagon.

The Fighting Nerds representative earned a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus for his quick finish of Neil Magny in the UFC Vegas 100 main event on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. After fending off his opponent’s attempts at grappling, Prates knocked Magny out cold with a glancing left hand 4:50 into the opening round of their welterweight showdown — his fourth consecutive finish in UFC competition.

Also on the main card, Mansur Abdul-Malik pocketed a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” award for an impressive Octagon debut. The MMA Masters prospect put away Dusko Todorovic with a knee and follow-up punches 2:44 into Round 1 to improve his professional mark to 7-0.

Elsewhere, Charlie Radtke garnered a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” check by dispatching Matthew Semelsberger in their preliminary welterweight matchup. Radtke wobbled his oppo…

Jon Jones Hoping for a 12-to-6 Elbow Finish at UFC 309

😁 Jon Jones wants to get a KO victory using 12-6 elbows now that they've been legalized in MMA.

🎥 @espnmma ▫️ pic.twitter.com/WDDIkYtPn6

— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) November 9, 2024

For Jon Jones, finishing the UFC 309 headliner with 12-to-6 elbows will somewhat right the only blemish on his record.

Jones’ otherwise perfect record is marred by a controversial disqualification loss to Matt Hamill in December 2009. Jones was mauling Hamill on the ground with 12-to-6 elbows, which were then illegal, forcing referee Steve Mazzgatti to call off their fight in the first round. Jones recalls that maintaining his perfect record in the UFC was very important for him. The manner in which he suffered his lone pro defeat left “Bones” devastated and in tears backstage.

“When I lost that night, I actually cried backstage,” Jones told ESPN. “It was absolutely devastating to me. I had always had this vision in my mind and in my heart tha…

Stipe Miocic Recalls When He Stopped Caring About External Criticism

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Stipe Miocic is not bothered by fan criticism leading up to his return to the Octagon.

Miocic will return to action after a hiatus of over three years to challenge Jon Jones for the heavyweight title in the main event at UFC 309 on Nov. 16 at Madison Square Garden in New York. The matchup has been widely criticized, as Jones is adamant on fighting Miocic while interim champ Tom Aspinall sits on the sidelines. Although Miocic has cemented his legacy as arguably the greatest heavyweight in UFC history, many consider Aspinall the rightful title contender at the moment.

However, Miocic has simply shut out all the chatter from detractors going into UFC 309. The Ohio-based firefighter also admitted that he might have been affected by fans’ criticism at an earlier point in his career. Miocic more recently recalled the exact point in his career when he learned to be unbothered by outside noise. It was after a second-round technical knocko…

Michael Chandler Wants to Become the Oldest Lightweight Champion in UFC History

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Michael Chandler has set some lofty goals for his near future.

Chandler will be returning after a hiatus of almost two years in a rematch against Charles Oliveira in a five-round, co-headliner at UFC 309 on Nov. 16 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Despite having gone 2-3 in his UFC career, “Iron” hasn’t lost championship aspirations yet.

Chandler believes he will be title talks with a potential win over Oliveira, a former lightweight champion. Meanwhile, No. 1 contender Arman Tsarukyan is expected to challenge Islam Makhachev for the title next year, potentially at UFC 311 in January. Chandler envisions himself facing the winner of that fight if he can get past “do Bronx.” The 38-year-old veteran believes he will become the oldest lightweight champ in UFC history by next year.

“I’d like to say Chandler 1.0 was out for blood, Chandler 2.0 is out for the title,” he recently told Shakiel Mahjouri. “I made a lot of changes…

Tom Aspinall Responds to Jon Jones Downplaying His Career Achievements

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Tom Aspinall and Jon Jones continue to feud although the Englishman has seemingly stopped chasing a matchup with the reigning UFC heavyweight king.

Jones defends his heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic in the main event at UFC 309 on Nov. 16 at Madison Square Garden in New York. While many consider interim champ Aspinall the rightful title contender, Jones is adamant on fighting Miocic, who hasn’t competed since a knockout loss to Francis Ngannou in 2021.

Jones recently dismissed the idea of fighting Aspinall, claiming the Brit hasn’t achieved enough to lure him into that matchup.

“Tom Aspinall – I don’t want to say [he is a] nobody, but he just hasn’t proven anything,” Jones recently told New York Post Sports. “He hasn’t done anything… Really nothing, you know? I find him annoying. I mean, he just… I’ve been here for so long. He just got to the UFC not so long ago. If he wanted to fight me, he could have been here. I was …

UFC Fight Night 247 Weigh-in Results: 2 Heavy; Turcios-Sopai Scratched

Half of our #UFCVegas100 main event is good to go!@NeilMagny weighs in at 171lbs!

[ LIVE TOMORROW on @ESPNPlus | 7pmET/4pmPT ] pic.twitter.com/boadyIxpQS

— UFC (@ufc) November 8, 2024 Editor's note: The article has been updated at 8 p.m. ET to reflect fine amounts for heavy fighters.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship is hitting a milestone this weekend by putting on its 100th event from the UFC Apex, and a handful of fights are on the rocks for the UFC Fight Night 247 card after the official weigh-ins took place.

Headlining Saturday's show is a five-rounder between Neil Magny and Carlos Prates, which sees the veteran going up against a dangerous prospect in a clash to stay relevant in the welterweight division. Both main event fighters successfully made weight, but the same could not be said about the remainder of the lineup. Late replacement Zach Scroggin (174) exceeded the 171-pound cap ahead of his bout with Eli…

Charles Oliveira Optimistic About UFC 309 Rematch With Michael Chandler

[embedded content] Former Ultimate Fighting Championship champ Charles Oliveira wants his old title back so badly, he can taste it.UFC 309: Jones vs Miocic. Saturday at 10 ET on ESPN+. Order Now!

Scheduled to rematch Michael Chandler in the co-main event of UFC 309 next Saturday in New York City, ex-lightweight champion Charles Oliveira felt that at age 35 he is entering the top of his game. “Do Bronx” revealed to Sherdog this week that his training camp went as smoothly as one ever has, while discussing what he expects on Nov. 16 in Madison Square Garden.

“Everything went out perfectly, and the most important thing is I’m hungry and motivated to defeat Chandler once again and finally get my title shot again,” Oliveira remarked.

The two lightweight greats first tangled at UFC 262 in 2021, and Chandler came out of the gate hot by hurting Oliveira more than once and hitting a crucial takedown early. While Oliveira eventually turned the tables and knoc…

Azamat Murzakanov, Lucas Almeida Pull Out of Respective UFC 309 Bouts

UFC 309 has lost a couple of its original fights less than two weeks before the event.

According to MMAjunkie.com, Azamat Murzakanov has withdrawn from a preliminary light heavyweight clash against Nikita Krylov for undisclosed reasons. It’s unclear if Krylov will remain on the card against a replacement opponent.

Meanwhile, Lucas Almeida has pulled out of a featherweight showdown with David Onama, also for undisclosed reasons. MMAFighting.com was first to report the news. Onama is expected remain on the card against a different opponent.

UFC 309: Jones vs Miocic. Saturday at 10 ET on ESPN+. Order Now!

Murzakanov is undefeated in 14 professional outings — including four in the UFC. He is coming off a second-round knockout of Alonzo Menifield at UFC on ABC 7. Krylov has won three straight outings, including a first-round submission of Ryan Spann in his last Octagon appearance in March 2023.

Almeida is 2-2 in the promotion and last compet…

Tom Aspinall Staying ‘Ready As Possible’ in UFC 309 Main Event Backup Role

While Tom Aspinall is in camp as the backup fighter for the UFC 309 headliner, he doesn’t have a specific focus as he normally would.

That’s in large part because he would only step in if something happened to either Jon Jones or Stipe Miocic ahead of their heavyweight title fight at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 16.

“Usually I’m working to a game plan in training, because obviously I’ve got in mind my opponent who I’m going to fight and what their style brings to the table,” Aspinall recently told Safest Casino Sites. “Whereas right now I can’t really train for anybody because I don’t know who I’m fighting and I don’t know if I’m fighting.

“All I’m focusing on is just getting myself as physically ready as possible: getting myself fit, basically getting myself in fighting shape. As far as tactics and stuff — and I’m a big tactics guy --- there isn’t any, to be honest. I’m just focusing on me and my game as opposed to one of the other guys who I…

Chris Weidman Doesn’t Want to Make ‘Rushed Decisions’ on MMA Future

When it comes to mixed martial arts, the passion still burns strong for Chris Weidman.

The former middleweight champion will return to action in his home state when he faces Eryk Anders at UFC 309 on Nov. 16 at Madison Square Garden in New York. It’s been a long road to recovery for Weidman since suffering a gruesomely broken leg in a loss to Uriah Hall at UFC 261 in April 2021. “The All-American” earned his first victory since that injury on March 30, taking a controversial technical decision over Bruno Silva at UFC on ESPN 54.

Weidman turned 40 in June, and given his injury history — he claims to have had 30 surgeries throughout his body (including 14 on his leg alone) — it would be reasonable to assume that the finish line might be in sight. For now, he’s still enjoying MMA and doesn’t plan on making any hasty decisions no matter what happens at UFC 309. However, he’s also realistic about his long-term future in the sport.

“I’m pretty much…