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In the aftermath of his loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 257, Conor McGregor didn’t waste much time before mentioning the possibility of a trilogy.

According to his coach, John Kavanagh, the Irish superstar wants the stakes raised: Ideally, a third meeting between the two lightweights would be for the vacant 155-pound belt.

“That’s the big drive,” Kavanagh told ESPN. “It’s 1-1, they’re right up there in the rankings, they’re very popular fighters. I think the two of them are a beautiful matchup. Stylistically, it’s beautiful to watch. I’d love to see lots and lots of rounds between the two of them.

“Dustin is obviously riding high with confidence now with more experience and more weight. He took some of those shots. I’m sure his confidence is super high at the moment. We have to fix that technique with the leg and a couple of other things, as well, but Dustin vs. Conor 3 for the belt in maybe May, that would be amazing.”

McGregor defeated Poirier via first-…

The UFC just wrapped up a whirlwind week in Abu Dhabi, with three events in an eight-day span.

Though the promotion’s plans remain ever-tentative in the midst of an ongoing pandemic, it doesn’t sound as though a return to “Fight Island” will happen until summer. As of now, events through March — and likely beyond — are expected to be held at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

“If I had to map it out in my head, we’d come back in June or July,” Dana White said at the UFC 257 post-fight press conference on Saturday night. “Who knows? While we were here there was a new inauguration and we’ll see what happens.

“Traveling in America I think is gonna be another massive challenge for us this year.”

One positive from the series of events at Etihad Arena this past week was the presence of fans in the 18,000-seat venue, which coincided with Conor McGregor’s return to action. Due to COVID-19 safety protocols, only about 2,000 people were allowed to attend each card. Still, it made…

There was likely no other fighter who was more interested in the top two fights at UFC 257 than lightweight contender Charles Oliveira.

Coming off eight straight wins — seven via submission or TKO — including an impressive triumph over former interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson, the Chute Boxe fighter is confident he should face Dustin Poirier for the 155-pound belt next. Poirier, of course, knocked out Conor McGregor in Saturday’s headliner at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.

Sherdog.com spoke with Oliveira and his trainer, Diego Lima, at approximately the same time UFC president Dana White was starting the post-fight press conference on Saturday night.

"There is no other path to go. I´m coming from a sequence of eight wins. If Khabib [Nurmagomedov] returns, I'm the only one in the Top 4 that didn’t face him. It's me and him or Poirier, who did a great job against McGregor and already knocked out [Justin] Gaethje. So the only fight would make sense is myself a…

A pivotal middleweight middleweight showdown between Robert Whittaker and Paulo Costa has been targeted for April 17.

Sherdog.com confirmed with sources from both camps that Whittaker and Costa are in negotiations to headline the UFC Fight Night card, likely in Las Vegas. However, an interim title will not be on the line as Whittaker had previously hoped. Reigning 185-pound champ Israel Adesanya is slated to move up a division to challenge light heavyweight title holder Jan Blachowicz at UFC 259 on March 6. The UFC has not officially confirmed the April 17 card.

Whittaker lost the middleweight crown to Adesanya at UFC 243 via second-round KO in October 2019. Since then, “The Reaper” has rebounded to post decision wins over contenders Darren Till and Jared Cannonier. The 30-year-old Sydney-based fighter has won 11 of his last 12 Octagon appearances.

Costa, meanwhile, suffered his first professional defeat in 14 outings when he was stopped by Adesanya in the secon…

A welterweight clash pitting Tyron Woodley against Vicente Luque has nearly been finalized for UFC 260.

Promotion broadcast partner ESPN was first to report the booking on Sunday. The bout has not been formally announced by the UFC because contracts have not been signed. UFC 260 takes place on March 27 and is headlined by a heavyweight title tilt between Stipe Miocic and Francis Ngannou. A location for the card has not been announced.

A former welterweight champion, Woodley heads into the matchup with Luque looking to snap a three-bout losing streak. “The Chosen One” relinquished his crown in a lopsided five-round decision loss to Kamaru Usman at UFC 235 and wasn’t especially competitive in subsequent five-round defeats against top 170-pound contenders Gilbert Burns and Colby Covington in his two 2020 appearances. Prior to that, Woodley successfully defended his belt four times after knocking out Robbie Lawler at UFC 201 to become champion.

Luque, meanwhile, is …

Nik Lentz is calling it a career after 45 professional bouts.

The 36-year-old Minnesota native announced his retirement via Instagram on Sunday, pointing to ongoing vision issues as the reason behind his decision. Lentz, who dropped a split decision to Movsar Evloev at UFC 257 on Saturday, had to undergo a risky corrective procedure after being poked in the eye in a loss to Arnold Allen last year.

“They say don’t make rash decisions after a loss, but this one is not rash or even quick for that matter. The injury I suffered to my eyes last year was a career ender,” Lentz wrote. “In total I lost about 40% of my vision, but I wanted to see what one more hard-fought battle was like with the new eyes. It was clear to me last night that it’s impossible for me to compete at this level anymore. I just can’t lock on to a moving target like I should, and with 40% of my vision practically gone... it’s chaotic to the least.

“My life as fighter in the best organization on the plan…

About a year ago at this time, a rejuvenated Conor McGregor had big plans in store following a quick finish of Donald Cerrone at UFC 246.

An active 2020 calendar didn’t come to fruition for the Irish star, however, and it was a much more somber atmosphere following his first appearance since then, a second-round technical knockout loss to Dustin Poirier in the UFC 257 headliner at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Saturday night. A victory could have opened the door for numerous possibilities for the biggest star in the sport. Instead, McGregor must figure out how to rebound from perhaps the most damaging loss of his career to date.

“It’s the whole shebang, but I have no excuses here. It was a phenomenal performance by Dustin. I don’t know what to say,” McGregor said at the post-fight press conference. “I’m going to go back. I’m going to chill out. I’ll watch the full fight and get a better grasp on it. The leg was compromised. I was rushing the shots a little bit, and I d…

For years, Michael Chandler was the unofficial face of Bellator MMA.

Even as he enjoyed multiple reigns as the California-based promotion’s lightweight champ, he couldn’t help but consider what it might be like to square off against the UFC’s best at 155 pounds. On Saturday, Chandler showed what he could do in front what was likely a massive pay-per-view audience, as he defeated Top 10 lightweight Dan Hooker via first-round technical knockout in the UFC 257 co-main event.

“I spent 12 years outside of this company thinking about this possibility, thinking about these matchups, thinking about fighting the best guys in the world. Now I’m here,” Chandler said. “I’m going to be ranked inside the Top 5 now, that might knock Conor out of No. 4, maybe put me on No. 3 or 4… I have no idea where the rankings are going to go, doesn’t really matter. Anybody can get a title shot as long as they are in the Top 5, Top 10 actually, so… Just feeling great.

“Pure elation, tons of…

Dustin Poirier is coming off arguably the biggest win of his career to date — on the biggest stage possible. Meanwhile, Michael Chandler had one of the most impressive UFC debuts in recent memory.

According to Poirier, these things are not the same. “The Diamond” avenged a 2014 loss to Conor McGregor in the UFC 257 headliner on Saturday night, as he stopped the Irish superstar via technical knockout in the second round to put himself in prime position for a lightweight title opportunity. Chandler, a long-time Bellator MMA star, scored a first-round stoppage of Dan Hooker in the evening’s co-main event to insert himself into the championship discussion as well.

With Khabib Nurmagomedov looking less and less likely to return by the day, the promotion’s 155-pound belt should be up for grabs in the near future. Poirier is almost virtually assured of being part of that equation. However, he knows one opponent he isn’t interested in facing next.

“I can guarantee I wo…

The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s first pay-per-view of 2021 was not without some issues.

Early on in the pay-per-view broadcast, many ESPN+ subscribers who had purchased UFC 257 — including many professional fighters — experienced difficulty getting the streaming service to work properly.

Ultimately, those issues were resolved and viewers were able to witness Dustin Poirier defeat Conor McGregor via second-round technical knockout in Saturday’s main event at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. And as with most McGregor events, it appears to have been big business.

“It was mostly on the West Coast. The West Coast had some problems,” White said of the troubles with the ESPN+ stream. “But they got it fixed and it was a good night. It was a really good night. One of the Top 2 all-time.

“It’s either No. 2 or No. 3 all-time.”

McGregor’s loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 in October 2018 reportedly sold in the neighborhood of 2.4 million pay-per-views, mak…

Conor McGregor’s aura took a hit in the UFC 257 main event on Saturday night.

The Irish superstar succumbed to strikes for the first time in 27 professional outings, falling to Dustin Poirier via second-round technical knockout at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. After the event’s conclusion, Khabib Nurmagomedov offered a reaction to McGregor’s performance from his Twitter account.

“This is what happened, when you change your team, leave the sparring partners who made you a champion and sparring with little kids, far away from reality,” Nurmagomedov wrote.

This is what happened, when you change your team, leave the sparring partners who made you a champion and sparring with little kids, far away from reality.

— khabib nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) January 24, 2021

Had McGregor emerged victorious at UFC 257, the promotion still had hopes that it could convince Nurmagomedov to return for one final bout against the “Notorious” one. Their first …

Michael Chandler had an Ultimate Fighting Championship debut to remember, and it helped make his payday that much better.

The former Bellator MMA lightweight king made short work of Dan Hooker in the UFC 257 co-main event, an effort that netted him a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus. The finishing sequence began when Chandler floored his foe with a right hand to the body followed by a left hook upstairs. From there, he unloaded with right hands until the bout was stopped 2:30 into Round 1.

Meanwhile, Dustin Poirier gained revenge and a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” check for his second-round stoppage of Conor McGregor in the lightweight main event. Poirier attacked his foe’s calf with low kicks and backed him into the fence, where he dropped the Irishman with a right hook and sealed his win with a barrage of follow-up strikes at the 2:32 mark of the frame.

Earlier, Marina Rodriguez garnered a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” award for her upset victory …

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream UFC 257 live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Dustin Poirier was the better man the second time around. The American Top Team mainstay avenged his 2014 defeat to Conor McGregor and did so in style, as he punched out the former two-division Ultimate Fighting Championship titleholder in the second round of their UFC 257 headliner on Saturday at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Poirier (27-6, 19-5 UFC) closed the deal 2:32 into Round 2, becoming the first man to stop the Irishman with strikes.

From beginning to end, all class this time

[ #UFC257 | #InAbuDhabi | @VisitAbuDhabi ] pic.twitter.com/E5TFQvCChA

— UFC (@ufc) January 24, 2021 McGregor (22-5, 10-3 UFC) was forced to play defense from the start. Poirier executed an early takedown, trapped the SBG Ireland star in the clinch and chipped away at his base with repeated kick…

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream UFC 257 live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Sherdog's live UFC 257 coverage will begin Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. Check out the MMA Forums to discuss the card or enter your comments and predictions below. Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfiel…

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream UFC 257 live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Sherdog's live UFC 257 coverage will begin Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. Check out the MMA Forums to discuss the card or enter your comments and predictions below. Round 1 Welcome to the big show. We end this brief stint on Fight Island with a massive pay-per-view event capped off by a rematch years in the making. Before we get there, we have ten fights to plow through, starting with a matchup in the flyweight division. In a classic battle of Sweden vs. Kazakhstan, Albazi (13-1, 1-0 UFC) looks to keep to his finishing ways against a man in Zhumagulov (13-4, 0-1 UFC) that has only lost once inside the distance. Referee Jason Herzog will oversee the opening bout, and with no touch of gloves, it’s on! Albazi opens up with a leg kick as Zhumagulov bears down on him quickly, so Albazi reaches out with a few long punches to the chest and stomac…

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream UFC 257 live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app.

Arman Tsarukyan appears to be well on his way to relevance in the Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight division.

The Khabarovsk MMA rep executed repeated takedowns and paired them with positional advances and ground-and-pound, as he cruised to a unanimous decision over Matt Frevola in the featured UFC 257 prelim on Saturday at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Tsarukyan (16-2, 3-1 UFC) swept the scorecards with 30-27, 30-27 and 30-26 nods from the judges.

Despite his best efforts, Frevola (8-2-1, 2-2-1 UFC) was out of his depth. Tsarukyan was a step ahead on the feet, on the ground and in the clinch. Clearly ahead on the scorecards, the 24-year-old continued to apply maximum pressure and pursued the finish until the final horn.

Rejuvenated Tavares Handles Carlos Jr. Searing leg kicks, stout c…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SnkcDn3nrE&w=560&h=315] Update: Due to their opponents failing to weigh-in, Frevola and Tsarukyan will now meet in a catchweight bout on the card. The Ultimate Fighting Championship puts on its first pay-per-view of 2021, and its third card in eight days, on Saturday. UFC 257 is headlined by the return of former two-weight champion Conor McGregor, who will take on a familiar foe in lightweight contender Dustin Poirier. The weigh-ins weren't without drama as three fighters failed to make contracted weight and the card had to be changed as a result.

Both Ottman Azaitar and Nasrat Haqparast didn't weigh-in at all and their respective bouts against Matt Frevola and Arman Tsarukyan have been canceled as a result. Tsarukyan also blew weight by coming over the lightweight limit by one pound.

McGregor (22-4) wants to finish "The Diamond" even quicker than he did the first time. The two first met at UFC 178, where "Notorious" knocked h…

Kayla Harrison will not be the only female Olympic judo champ that decided to move to MMA.

Brazilian Rafaela Silva, the 2013 world judo champion and former 2016 Olympic gold medalist below 57 kgs (125 pounds), has officially started her MMA training. Joining the new MMA academy led by Professional Fighters League lightweight fighter Joilton Lutterbach, she has already begun picking up striking fundamentals. According to Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter Claudio Silva, who held mitts for her for the first time, the judoka's future looks bright.

“An Olympic champion is a different animal,” "Hannibal" said confidently. “Rafaela is world and Olympic [champion]. In less than one hour holding mitts [for] her, it was easy to recognize her focus and power. I bet in a few more months, we are going to have another prospect in [the] flyweight division.”

According to “Peregrino,” Silva made a deal to be part of the team, training every day with the professionals. She will…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGUX-begfxo&w=560&h=315] One Championship is staging its return to U.S. airwaves in April with a tentpole card.

The organization announced via press release on Friday that it would be holding an event on April 7 that will be shown in prime time on American television. The card, which will take place on a Wednesday night for U.S.-based audiences, will contain a title fight and several major names. The currently unnamed show draws a headliner of Adriano Moraes (18-3) vs. Demetrious Johnson (30-3-1) for the One flyweight title. The two were originally slated to meet in February, but the promotion pushed it back for undisclosed reasons.

Moraes recaptured his title in 2019 against Geje Eustaquio by decision, winning it back from a man that took it from him in 2018. Moraes became a three-time champ at the One flyweight division by beating Eustaquio, and his first defense will come against a pound-for-pound ranked opponent. “Mikinho” has…

Capitan CRUSHES Alaverdi Ramazanov in Round 2 to claim the ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Championship! #ONEUnbreakable #WeAreONE #ONEChampionship pic.twitter.com/yuCArNk5BE

— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) January 22, 2021 Capitan Petchyindee Academy showed once again that there are levels to the fight game.

One Championship saw its first title change in 2021 as One: Unbreakable went down on Friday morning. The main event saw Alaverdi Ramazanov put his bantamweight kickboxing championship on the line against Capitan. Right out of the gate, Capitan relentlessly pursued his opponent with a flurry of kicks and punches. Ramazanov attempted his best to contain his opponent’s offense, but nothing seemed to slow down the ferocious challenger.

In the second stanza, Capitan chopped down his opponent with many low kicks, opening a window that he capitalized on. The Thai landed a powerful combination, putting Ramazanov down to the canvas.…

"It's bad, he's gone, he's no longer a UFC fighter."

Dana White explains why Ottman Azaitar has been cut from the UFC following a health and safety breach at #UFC257. pic.twitter.com/UO3aJbLUWO

— UFC on BT Sport (@btsportufc) January 22, 2021 Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream UFC 257 live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. The entire MMA community is waiting on pins and needles wondering what was in the bag that cost ex-Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight Ottman Azaitar his career.

Azaitar was not present for the UFC 257 weigh-ins, and the promotion announced on Friday morning that his main card match with Matt Frevola had been canceled. As it turned out, the Moroccan was not pulled due to COVID or a weight cut-related reason, but instead for violating the promotion's health and safety protocols.

In a statement, the UFC wrote that, “UFC is aware of a recent …

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Another big matchup in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s stacked lightweight division is in the works for the end of February. The news first coming by way of MMA Junkie on Thursday, a lightweight scrap between Alexander Hernandez (12-3) and Thiago Moises (14-4) has been set for the UFC Fight Night card on Feb. 27. The two 155ers will square off at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, in a bout both fighters wanted as they called each other out in the past. Moises has since confirmed the pairing on his Instagram.

The Texas native has alternated wins and losses in his last five bouts, most recently drubbing Chris Gruetzemacher in 106 seconds in October. Second-round knockout losses to Donald Cerrone and Drew Dober were interspersed between decision victories over Francisco Trinaldo and Olivier Aubin-Mercier. “The Great” made his ma…

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Ultimate Fighting Championship pioneer and repeat heavyweight title challenger Pedro Rizzo weighed in on Jon Jones’ upcoming move to Rizzo’s old division. Speaking to Sherdog on Wednesday night, Rizzo, the leader of the Brazilian MMA team Usina de Campeos RVT, went to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, to corner two of his fighters. Both Douglas Silva de Andrade and Warlley Alves competed on UFC on ESPN 20 with varied results, as Silva de Andrade dropped a decision while Alves scored a knockout over Mounir Lazzez that made his coach proud.

“We are glad that Warlley was finally able to recover from a sequence of injuries and surgeries and show a great performance,” an elated Rizzo told Sherdog. “[The] first time he showed me that sequence of three quick [kicks] it was even hard to hold the pads, and I told him to invest [in] that, …

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Two Ultimate Fighting Championship fighters on a combined 20-fight unbeaten streak are coming to blows at lightweight in March. On Wednesday, Grant Dawson (16-1) posted on Instagram that he had news of his new opponent, hinting that his prospective foe was unbeaten in the promotion. MMA Junkie revealed hours later that this opponent was Leonardo Santos (18-3-1), and that the two would be squaring off at 155 pounds at the UFC Fight Night card on March 20.

“Contract signed,” Dawson wrote. “He’s undefeated in the UFC. And his run is coming to an end. Fight News coming soon!”

Dawson fought twice in 2020, tapping out Darrick Minner in February and capturing a unanimous verdict over Nad Narimani a few months later. Getting signed off the first season of Dana White's Contender Series, “KGD” landed a submission on Adrian Diaz…