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Sean O'Malley will close the show for the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s historic card at The Sphere on Saturday, but he won’t be distracted by the spectacle of it all.

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“It’s a big fight feel,” O’Malley told TMZ Sports. “It’s the first combat sporting event at The Sphere for the UFC, possibly the last for the UFC. One and done, so it’s a big deal.”

UFC 306 is expected to feature plenty of new production elements at the one-of-a-kind venue, including a movie between fights and different worlds depicted on the massive LED screen during the bouts themselves. However, when O’Malley steps into the cage to defend his bantamweight belt against Merab Dvalishvili in the evening’s headliner, his focus will be only on his opponent.

“I’m gonna show up, get into an Octagon — the same Octagon I always step into — and do what I do,” O’Malley said. “The whole presentation, the whole show, I’m really not going to enjoy it like a bystander. …

Sean Brady issued callouts to Ian Garry and Colby Covington after a win over Gilbert Burns at UFC Fight Night 242.

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Brady headlined the first UFC card of his career against Burns at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday. Brady went on to outclass Burns in all aspects to grind out a unanimous decision victory, which he acknowledges as the biggest win of his career thus far.

Brady called out Garry in his post-fight Octagon interview, further elaborating on it at the post-fight media scrum. The Philadelphia native believes Garry thinks too highly of himself. Brady also called out former title challenger Covington, whom he considers the easiest matchup in the division. Brady vows to dominate “Chaos” both on the feet and in the ground in a potential matchup.

“I think Ian just thinks that he is f—-ing God’s gift to earth and he’s not. And I feel like everyone in the sport feels the same way,” Brady said. “I mean I’ll fight him, I’ll fight Colby. I th…

Cody Durden changed his nickname shortly before submitting Matt Schnell on four days’ notice.

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Schnell was originally scheduled to face Alessandro Costa in a flyweight matchup at UFC Fight Night 242 on Saturday at the Apex in Las Vegas. However, an injured Costa was replaced by Durden and the bout was moved to bantamweight.

After getting rocked in an early exchange, Durden went toe-to-toe in wild slugfests throughout the first round before submitting Schnell with a ninja choke 29 seconds into the second stanza. Durden revealed that he didn’t have much preparation for the fight after having a few extra drinks the previous weekend. Durden spent the whole Monday lazing around, sparred on Tuesday and asked for the short-notice fight, which was granted.

“I didn’t have much preparation,” Durden said during a post-fight media scrum. “I had a few drinks on Sunday, probably more than I should. I laid in bed all day Monday, went back to the gym, sparred…

Cody Durden’s latest Ultimate Fighting Championship experience could not have been more fulfilling—personally, professionally or financially.

The 33-year-old Covington, Georgia, native filled in for Alessandro Costa on less than a week’s notice and put away Matt Schnell with a ninja choke in the second round of their UFC Fight Night 242 bantamweight showcase on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Durden drew the curtain 29 seconds into Round 2, where he countered an ill-advised takedown attempt with the fight-ending choke. The UFC awarded him a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus for his efforts.

Meanwhile, Natalia Silva and Jessica Andrade pocketed $50,000 “Fight of the Night” bonuses in the aftermath of their three-round women’s flyweight co-main event. Silva outstruck the former 115-pound champion to a unanimous decision, walking away with 30-27 marks from all three judges. She now finds herself on a remarkable 12-fight winning streak.

Finally, Jacks…

The Bellator MMA lightweight championship was on the line in the main event of Bellator San Diego.

Usman Nurmagomedov put his undefeated record and title on the line against No. 1 contender Alexandr Shabliy. "Peresvet" proved tricky at first as Shabliy (24-4) was able to find a home for his quick right hand. However, Nurmagomedov (18-0, 1 NC) was the more active fighter and would sprinkle in the occasional takedown attempt to pull clearly ahead in the fight in the second and third rounds. The championship rounds would see Nurmagomedov continue controlling the fight, even hurting the challenger with a head kick in Round 4.

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After five rounds of action, Nurmagomedov's hand was raised after scores of 50-45, 49-46 and 49-46 were read.Larkin Smashes Chokheli The co-main event saw the 38-year-old Lorenz Larkin take on Levan Chokheli, who was 11 years his junior. "The Monsoon" lived up to his nickname and showed that age is only a number by scoring a quick k…

Sean Brady proved that he belongs among the welterweight elite with a hard-fought victory in the UFC UFC Fight Night 242 headliner on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Brady took a well-deserved unanimous decision over former UFC title challenger Gilbert Burns after five grueling rounds.

Brady (17-1, 7-1 UFC) established his jab early in the opening frame, and he backed Burns (22-8, 15-8 UFC) up against the cage on two occasions. Both men scored brief takedowns, but the round was predominantly contested in the clinch. Burns wobbled the Philadelphia native with a right hook to begin the second round, but Brady wisely tied him up in a clinch and landed one-two combos to the Brazilian’s face after the fighters separated. Brady targeted the inside and outside of Burns’ left leg with kicks as time ticked down. Early in the third round, Burns seemed to be slowing down, and Brady held him against the cage. However, a sudden burst of energy allowed Burns to score with two stro…

The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to its home base of the Apex in Las Vegas Saturday at 4 p.m. ET with UFC Fight Night 242. BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Fletcher (-145), Ramaska (+120)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Devin Tejada scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Devin Tejada scores the round:

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Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Devin Tejada scores the round:The Official Result BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Petroski (-278), Budka (+225)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Devin Tejada scores the round: Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Devin Tejada scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Devin Tejada scores the round:The Official Result…

Sherdog's live Bellator Champions Series San Diego coverage will begin Saturday at 8 p.m. ET. Round 1 Sherdog Scores Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Mike Pendleton scores the round:

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Round 2 Sherdog Scores Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Mike Pendleton scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Mike Pendleton scores the round: The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Mike Pendleton scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Mike Pendleton scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Mike Pendleton scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Mike Pen…

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It has been well-documented that UFC 306 at The Sphere in Las Vegas will be an unprecedented event. Now, a few more details have come to light as to what will make it such a spectacle.

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The Sphere, a $2.3 billion venue that features a 160,000 square foot LED screen, will include a distinctly cinematic theme for UFC 306 on Sept. 14. According to The Hollywood Reporter, a film celebrating Mexico’s contribution to combat sports will run in chapters on The Sphere’s screen in between bouts.

“At the highest level, we were trying to think about, how do we put on a live MMA fight — 10 fights throughout the night — and not take away from the fight action, not take too much time in between fights where we slow things down, but also tell this other story about the Mexican people and their heritage and their culture, because it’s rich and it’s deep,” UFC chief content officer Craig Bolsari said.

UFC 306: O'Malley vs. Dvalishvili Saturday a…

Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White was a special guest at a recent luncheon hosted by the Latin Chamber of Commerce.

During the session held at the Durango Casino & Resort, White discussed a number of topics with Las Vegas entrepreneurs, including the growth of the promotion and the upcoming UFC 306 event at The Sphere, which is also a tribute to Mexican Independence Day. White also announced a donation to the Latin Chamber of Commerce.

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“I love to help small businesses,” White said (quotes via UFC.com). “People who are starting out, I love to hear their stories, what they do, and I love to support them in any way I can. More than just obviously spending money or buying things from them, to help create awareness that they exist and for people to go try their products.”UFC 306: O'Malley vs. Dvalishvili Saturday at 10 ET on ESPN+. Order Now!

White also shared why it was so significant for the UFC to break ground in Mexico and other Lati…

Valentina Shevchenko feels UFC 306 is not all about Mexican Independence Day.

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Shevchenko challenges Alexa Grasso for the women’s flyweight title in the co-main event at UFC 306 on Sept. 14 at The Sphere in Las Vegas. “Bullet” was initially hesitant to accept the trilogy fight on this particular card due to her past experience.

Shevchenko lost her strap to Grasso in an upset submission loss at UFC 285 in March 2023. The two met in a rematch last September at Noche UFC, which was the promotion’s first event to commemorate Mexican Independence Day. The fight ended in a controversial split draw, leading to Grasso retaining her strap. Shevchenko complained that judge Mike Bell scored the fifth round 10-8 in favor of Grasso so that the Mexican champ could retain her belt on the card built around the country’s Independence Day.

So, when Shevchenko was offered a trilogy matchup a year later at UFC 306, which is also tribute to Mexican Independence Da…

Hear what Demetrious Johnson had to say at ONE 168: Denver 🗣️

Tune in to Prime Video and Sky Sports NOW to catch the rest of ONE 168: Denver!#ONE168 | 🔴 LIVE NOW📺 How to watch 👉 https://t.co/NOuJb13LII🇺🇸🇨🇦 Watch Live on Prime 👉 https://t.co/0ZILlG5o3R🇬🇧🇮🇪 Watch Live on… pic.twitter.com/5HOxf6aH4A

— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) September 7, 2024

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Demetrious Johnson has announced an end to one of the greatest MMA careers of all time on Friday.

Johnson announced his retirement during an appearance at ONE Championship 168 in Denver on Friday. Johnson made his pro debut in 2009 under the King of the Cage banner before moving to World Extreme Cagefighting, which was later acquired by the UFC. “Might Mouse” went on become the inaugural UFC flyweight champion by defeating Joseph Benavidez in a tournament finale in 2012.

This set off one of the most dominant runs in the history of the sport, which included 11 succes…

🚨| Israel Adesanya was seemingly involved in a road rage incident, in New Zealand. 😬#MMA #UFC pic.twitter.com/oHAYyZAtnK

— MMA Frenzy (@mma_frenzy) September 5, 2024

Israel Adesanya opened up on a recent heated confrontation involving another individual in New Zealand.

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Adesanya was recently filmed getting into a spat with an unidentified person in his home country. The footage shows the former UFC middleweight champ trying to get inside his car while arguing the person who repeatedly flexes his biceps. “The Last Stylebender” appears to spit at the person before the video ends.

While the reason for the altercation is unclear from the video, Adesanya claims the man was trying to coax him into a fight while he tried his best to de-escalate the situation. Adesanya also says he’ll press charges against the man for racially abusing him and threatening violence.

“On Wednesday morning, I was leaving a cafe on K Rd when a p…

Khabib Nurmagomedov reveals a pic with black eye after sparring session 😳#UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/bXCHtBlRtI

— Sportskeeda MMA (@sportskeedaMMA) September 1, 2024

Usman Nurmagomedov recently shared how Khabib Nurmagomedov got a black eye in sparring.

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Khabib recently posted a picture of himself with a black eye, along with a caption wondering if the years are catching up with him.

According to Usman, “The Eagle” had allowed him a morning of rest on the day of the incident. When a surprised Usman asked him about the black eye in the evening, Khabib revealed that another teammate of theirs, Islam Mamedov had elbowed him while sparring.

“No no, it’s when he grapple with Islam Mamedov, there [it happened],” Usman told Sportskeeda MMA. “That day I was rest morning because Khabib pushed me all week and he said, ‘Today you rest.’ He come, I said, ‘What happened with your eye.’ He’s like, ‘Islam Mamedov give me elbow.’” Read more about Usman Nurmagomedov Reveals How Khabib Nurmagomedov Received Black Eye

[embedded content] Bellator MMA will put on its first show since June. All fighters made weight for the 10-fight card, which is headlined by Usman Nurmagomedov putting his lightweight title on the line against Alexandr Shabliy.

The undefeated Nurmagomedov (17-0, 1 NC) is coming off an overturned victory over Brent Primus after failing a drug test for a prescription medicine. The Russian wasn't stripped of the title, though, which he won off Patricky Freire in 2022. This will look to be Nurmagomedov's third defense as he submitted Benson Henderson in between the two aforementioned fights. The 26-year-old officially weighed 154.8 pounds.

Meanwhile, this is the first Bellator main event for Shabliy (24-3). "Peresvet" is 5-0 inside the promotion with notable wins over Freire, Primus and Tofiq Musayev. The 31-year-old will look to make a statement in his first title opportunity and also weighed 154.8 pounds.

Bellator Champions Series San Diego Weigh-in Results: Usman Nur…

First to the scale 😤

Sean Brady weighs-in at 171lbs!

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[ #UFCVegas97 | TOMORROW on @ESPNPlus | 7pmET/4pmPT ] pic.twitter.com/dZ2W3VFGsP — UFC (@ufc) September 6, 2024 Editor's note: The article was updated at 1:45 p.m. on Friday to reflect fine amounts.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship kicks off September by returning to Las Vegas for UFC Fight Night 242.

The 12-fight card will be headlined by Gilbert Burns and Sean Brady. Both of the welterweight contenders successfully made weight, but two other fighters did not. Kyle Nelson (148.5) came in 2.5 pounds overweight for his featherweight fight against Steve Garcia. Meanwhile, Dylan Budka (188.5) also clocked in 2.5 pounds over the middleweight limit for his bout versus Andre Petroski. As a result, both will be fined 20% of their purses.

This marks the third UFC main event for Burns (22-7). "Durinho" is looking to bounce back from a two-fight skid that saw him co…

[embedded content] Twenty years later, the story of the disappearance of Priscila Belfort, sister of Vitor Belfort, remains unfinished.

In January 2004, Belfort prevailed over Randy Couture to earn the Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight throne. Instead of celebrating the victory—a doctor stoppage due to a cut inflicted to Couture’s eyelid—Belfort broke down in tears in his post-fight interview. “The Phenom” revealed that his sister had disappeared earlier in the month. As of September 2024, she still has not been found.

The harrowing tale of the Belfort family will be shown in a four-part documentary series titled “Volta Priscila,” or “Come Back Priscila.” It will air on Disney+ in Brazil on Sept. 25. It is currently unclear whether the documentary will be dubbed or subtitled in English for international release.

Priscila disappeared on January 9, 2004. At the time, the sister of Vitor worked at the Municipal Department of Sports and Leisure in Rio de Ja…

[embedded content] No matter who gets it done on Saturday, the world of MMA will see a new Russian millionaire.

Atop Bellator Championship Series: Nurmagomedov vs. Shabliy in San Diego on Sept. 7, Usman Nurmagomedov (17-0, 1 NC) will put his lightweight strap on the line against Alexander Shabliy (24-3). The victor will not only claim the Bellator MMA 155-pound throne, but also a check for $1 million. On their way to glory, both Russians defeated former champ Patricky Freire, who weighed in on the matchup to Sherdog.

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At Bellator 288 in November 2022, Freire surrendered his belt to Nurmagomedov prior to the commencement of the tourney. A year later, “Pitbull” collided with Shabliy at Bellator 301, and he lost on the scorecards once more. With the experience of facing both across 25-minute engagements, the ex-champ believes the fight will be a lengthy endeavor, while suggesting that sizeable betting underdog +325 Shabliy should be favored.

“I believe…

An undisclosed illness has forced Ovince St. Preux to withdraw from a proposed light heavyweight clash against Ryan Spann at UFC Fight Night 242.

Spann will not remain on the card against a replacement opponent, and as a result, Saturday’s event will proceed with 12 bouts. UFC Fight Night 242 takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Veags and is headlined by a welterweight clash between Gilbert Burns and Sean Brady. The evening’s main card airs on ESPN+ beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, while prelims stream on ESPN+ at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.

A former football player at the University of Tennessee, St. Preux has won two of his last three Octagon appearances. Most recently, he took a split verdict over Kennedy Nzechukwu at UFC Fight Night 239 on March 16. St. Preux’s 25 UFC appearances at 205 pounds rank No. 1 all-time in promotion history.

Spann has lost three straight outings, falling to Nikita Krylov, Anthony Smith and Bogdan Guskov in succession. The Fortis MMA …

Djorden Ribeiro dos Santos didn’t let the odds get in the way of his dreams.

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The Brazilian was one of five fighters to earn a UFC contract on Week 4 of Dana White's Contender Series on Tuesday night, as he outdueled English prospect Will Currie to earn a unanimous decision triumph at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

“I got really happy about [Dana White’s] words. He summarized my history,” Santos said. “I knew Currie would be a hell of a challenge. The guy was the No. 1 in the UK for a reason, but the fact of being a 4-1 underdog just motivated me.”

Santos came from a difficult life to pursue his goal of becoming a professional fighter.

“I left my mom's house when I was 13 years old and went to live in [Belo Horizonte]. Since I didn’t have money and anywhere to sleep, I lived in a pitbull kennel. My mother started sending me around $10 a week to help me. At the beginning, I had to eat biscuits and [drink] those artificial powder juices. But I sta…

It will be a while before Blagoy Ivanov is able to return to active competition.

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The Professional Fighters League heavyweight has been suspended for 22 months after testing positive for an anabolic agent in an out-of-competition sample collected on March 28, USADA announced on Wednesday. According to a statement from the anti-doping body, the “urine sample was analyzed using a specialized test that differentiates between anabolic androgenic steroids naturally produced by the body and prohibited anabolic agents of external origin.”

Ivanov received a reduction to his sanction for his “full and complete cooperation.” The soon to be 38-year-old Bulgarian will be eligible to return in January 2026.

A former World Series of Fighting who made his PFL debut in 2017, Ivanov returned to the organization on April 4, when he suffered a unanimous decision defeat to Sergey Bilostenniy at PFL 1. Ivanov has lost three straight bouts dating back to February…

Joshua Van will replace Kevin Borjas and fight Edgar Chairez at UFC 306.

MMAjunkie.com was first to report the new flyweight booking. UFC 306 takes place at The Sphere in Las Vegas on Sept. 14 and is headlined by a bantamweight title clash between Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili. A reason for Borjas’ withdrawal is currently unknown.

Van had an eight-bout winning streak snapped in his last Octagon appearance, as he suffered a third-round knockout loss against Charles Johnson at UFC on ESPN 59 on July 13. Prior to that, the 22-year-old had earned successive triumphs over Zhalgas Zhumagulov, Borjas and Felipe Bunes to begin his promotional tenure.

Chairez, who was part of the inaugural Noche UFC event last year, is coming off a first-round submission win over Daniel da Silva at UFC Fight Night 237 on Feb. 24. That helped erase the sting of his first meeting with da Silva at UFC Fight Night 227, which was declared a no contest when referee Chris Tognoni wa…

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Belal Muhammad recently detailed a part of camp that was a game changer in his title fight with Leon Edwards.

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Muhammad got his title shot against Edwards in the main event at UFC 304 in Manchester, England, this past July. “Remember the Name” put on a dominant display, completely outclassing Edwards in almost all aspects to earn a unanimous decision win.

A big part of Muhammad’s win had to do with his consistent forward pressure against Edwards, who is known for his ability to control range. And the new champ revealed that it did not come to him easily. Muhammad claims to have taken thousands of body kicks while constantly moving forward during sparring in preparation for the Edwards matchup. If he failed to do so, his coaches were always quick to remind him, making him reach a point where moving forward just became a mantra.

“Especially because Leon’s so good at lateral movement… So for me I was like, I can’t be in kicking …

Alex Pereira has created a stir by announcing that his desire to return to the middleweight division.

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Pereira defends his light heavyweight title against Khalil Rountree in the main event at UFC 307 on Oct. 5 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Brazilian had previously expressed interest in moving back down to middleweight after Dricus Du Plessis’ successful title defense against Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 last month. Pereira recently revealed that he is now decided on moving to 185 pounds after his clash against Rountree, regardless of the result.

“I’m focused on my next fight and I’m going prepared but you never know what can happen, so regardless of the result I want to go down one more time to the middleweight and go for the belt, “Pereira wrote on Instagram. “Hey Dricus, bring your will to fight me so you can prove that you are better than me, with your public statement it is easy to make this happen. Chama.”

Widely considered…