Max Holloway Offers Private Lessons, Dinner as Prize for Hawaiian Food Bank Donations

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Max Holloway is using his talents and resources to help give back to the Hawaiian community during the coronavirus pandemic.

Holloway is offering the chance to win private training lessons and dinner with the former UFC featherweight champion in exchange for donations to the Maui Food Bank and Hawaii Food Bank. A winner — and four friends — will be selected through a raffle as part of the All 4 Hawaii Challenge.

Each donation of at least $10 will receive a raffle entry. The winner will also receive Holloway’s signed UFC gloves and will get to select whether they want self defense or MMA-themed training. The donation period runs through May 31.

For Holloway, it’s about helping out during a time of great hardship and uncertainty.

“Unemployment in Hawaii is near 40%, and because our economy is based on tourism…

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Marvin Vettori vs. Karl Roberson Rescheduled for UFC Card on June 13

Credit: Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com Credit: Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com Credit: Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com Credit: Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com

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After their bout fell through at UFC Fight Night 171, Marvin Vettori and Karl Roberson will get a chance to settle their differences at an event on June 13.

MMAFighting.com was first to report the middleweight pairing. The UFC Fight Night event does not yet have an official location or headliner. Broadcast plans are also unknown at this time.

Roberson was hospitalized after missing weight last week and was not medically cleared to compete at UFC Fight Night 171 in Jacksonville, Florida on May 13. Roberson and Vettori later had a brief altercation when they crossed paths in the fighter hotel, as the Italian competitor hurled obscenities toward his would-be foe.

Prior to last week, Vettori…

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Lorenz Larkin Doesn’t Want to Wait on Douglas Lima, Expects to Fight Before Title Shot

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The coronavirus pandemic has affected everyone in the mixed martial arts community differently these past couple months.

Lorenz Larkin, who won his fourth straight fight under the Bellator MMA banner on Dec. 29, used the unexpected downtime to focus on other pursuits. Whether that was off roading with his 13-year-old son or working on business ventures outside of the MMA realm, the California native has done his best to remain productive as shelter-in-place orders put limitations on normal activity.

One thing he hasn’t been able to do much, however, is train.

“I almost forgot I was a fighter,” Larkin told Sherdog.com with a laugh.

Larkin took some time off following his unanimous decision triumph against Keita Nakamura at the end of the year, and just as he was ready to get back into the gym, COVID-19 chang…

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Report: Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov on Life Support, Back in Coma as Condition Worsens

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The condition of Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov has taken a turn for the worse.

According to RT Sport, the father of UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is once again in critical condition and on life support at a military hospital in Moscow. After undergoing a heart bypass surgery, Abdulmanap had to be connected to a life support machine when his condition deteriorated on Tuesday, per “multiple reports” from Russian outlets. Abdulmanap awakened from a coma on Friday but is now once again unconscious and unable to breathe on his own.

Abdulmanap initially fell ill with pneumonia at the end of April and was transported from a medical facility in Dagestan to Moscow as a result of heart problems. Abdulmanap was reportedly diagnosed with coronavirus once he arrived in the Russian capital.

Khabib recently posted a vi…

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UFC on ESPN 8 Main Card Averages 1.198 Million Viewers; Prelims Draw 690,000

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Heavyweights always seem to draw solid ratings for the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

The UFC on ESPN 8 main card attracted an average audience of 1.198 million to ESPN this past Saturday, according to ShowBuzz Daily. The card took place at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida and was headlined by a heavyweight showdown pitting Alistair Overeem against Walt Harris. Overeem defeated Harris via second-round technical knockout.

That figure checks in as the second-highest rating for a UFC on ESPN main card since the promotion debuted on the network in February 2019. That aforementioned UFC on ESPN 1 card, topped by a heavyweight tilt between Francis Ngannou and Cain Velasquez, still holds the No. 1 spot with an average audience of 1.463 million viewers.

UFC on ESPN 8 marked conclusion of a stretch…

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Nate Landwehr: I Beat Darren Elkins Just as Bad as the UFC Champ Featherweight Champ Did

Listen to this scream by @NateTheTrain, who's rolling in Round 2 #UFCFL pic.twitter.com/SWW6nPYVcv

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) May 16, 2020

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Nate Landwehr was one of the most colorful fighters in action at UFC on ESPN 8.

The former M-1 Challenge champion taunted opponent Darren Elkins, showboated and yelled at UFC president Dana White, who was seated cageside at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida on Saturday night.

“Oh, I heard it,” White said at the UFC on ESPN 8 post-fight press conference. “There was like six people in there, I heard him screaming. That guy was a nut. That was a fun fight. It was a fun fight, and that guy was fun.”

These two are madmen @DarrenElkinsMMA @NateTheTrain #UFCFL pic.twitter.com/FWR4HMkxS0

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Giga Chikadze Claims He’s Only Shown ’25 Percent’ of Potential During UFC Tenure

@Giga_Chikadze is LAUNCHING but @Beast144_1 is UNPHASED. #UFCFL pic.twitter.com/w9l1TyLxYH

— UFC (@ufc) May 17, 2020 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. Giga Chikadze did as expected at UFC on ESPN 8, as he cruised to a clear-cut unanimous decision over Irwin Rivera on Saturday’s preliminary card at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.

Chikadze was able to have his way with Irwin, a Titan FC bantamweight champion who was fighting up a weight class on one day’s notice. The former Glory Kickboxing competitor improved to 3-0 in the Octagon after taking split decisions over Brandon Davis and Jamall Emmers in his first two UFC appearances.

The Kings MMA product claimed after his latest victory that he has only shown a fraction of his potential thus far in the Las Vegas-based promotion.

“I think most fans have only seen Giga at 25 pe…

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Kevin Holland Considering Drop to 170 Pounds After UFC on ESPN 8 Triumph

HE ONLY NEEDED SECONDS!

Take a bow, @Trailblaze2top!

Tune in now LIVE on @ESPN. #UFCFL pic.twitter.com/Jpw2V3PS1M— UFC (@ufc) May 17, 2020

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Kevin Holland first appeared on the radar of MMA fans at UFC 227, when he accepted a short-notice fight with Thiago Santos for his Octagon debut.

Though he didn’t win, the fighter dubbed “Big Mouth” by UFC president Dana White made a lasting impression by giving a game effort against an opponent who would go on to give Jon Jones a run for his money at light heavyweight.

A little less than two years later, the Forth Worth, Texas, native may have finally had his breakthrough performance in the Las Vegas-based promotion. Holland won four the fourth time in five outings against Anthony Hernandez at UFC on ESPN 8 on Saturday, but it …

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Dana White Skeptical Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou ‘Really Want That Fight’

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. As he does from time to time, Jon Jones took to Twitter this past week to share a number of thoughts regarding mixed martial arts. Among those musings was more speculation about a future move to heavyweight, a transition Jones has teased often in the past. In this instance, “Bones” seemed to be intrigued by former foe Ovince St. Preux’s performance competing up a division at UFC Fight Night 171 on Wednesday evening, and said seeing OSP’s fight with Ben Rothwell made a heavyweight move “seem more real to me.”

That, in turn, piqued the interest of top heavyweight contender Francis Ngannou, who replied to Jones’ post. Things escalated quickly from there, as the light heavyweight champion insisted that he wouldn’t hesitate to accept a bout with perhaps the most feared knockout artist in the sport today.

“Who would you guys consid…

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Dan Ige Ready to Receive Proper Recognition After Win Over Edson Barboza

Dan Ige has been on a roll for the last two years, and he continued his ascent up the featherweight ladder on Saturday with a win over Edson Barboza at UFC on ESPN 8, his sixth in a row within the Las Vegas-based promotion.

Ige (14-2) fought a tough battle with Barboza (20-9), who dropped down to featherweight from 155 pounds, and eked past the Brazilian via split decision. Ige struggled early with the former lightweight contender, as he was rocked by punches in the first and low kicks in the first two frames. However, the Hawaiian remained calm in the duel and eventually stormed back in the latter stages of the second and throughout the third. 

When the dust settled and the smoked cleared after 15 minutes of hell, the outcome of the skirmish was in doubt. While one cageside judge saw it 29-28 for Barboza, that tally was offset by the other two who turned in the same score for Ige. Though “Dynamite” didn’t blow up Barboza like he undoubtedly would have preferred, …

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UFC on ESPN 8 ‘Overeem vs. Harris’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

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Saturday's UFC on ESPN 8 coverage will begin at approximately 6:05 p.m. ET.

Check out the MMA Forums to discuss the card or enter your comments and predictions below.

Additionally, the UFC on ESPN 8 post-fight press conference can be viewed here immediately following Saturday's event.

Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the r…
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Edson Barboza Brushes Off Concerns of Making Weight: ‘I Knew All The Time’

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. The mystery is over, Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight Edson Barboza finally made weight in his new division at 145.5 pounds. Barbzoa spoke to Sherdog.com, where he explained his comfort with making the weight. He also explained that he was expecting to be around 165 pounds by the time he stepped in the cage with Dan Ige.

"Actually I knew all the time I wouldn’t have problems to reach the limit of [this] division,” he said. “I fought a couple of times [at] featherweight in kickboxing and have great memories of that. To tell you the truth, I have a tendency to lose weight while training, actually my diet was to keep myself strong in [the] lightweight division."

Following Barboza since he was 17 years old, his manager Alex Davis was also optimistic by the way he reached the new division, saying, “I'm very proud of …

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UFC Fight Night 172 Weigh-in Results: Main Card Official; Vettori, Faber Set as Alternates

The California Kid could come to the rescue #UFCFL (via @arielhelwani) pic.twitter.com/hggBLpJtYF

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) May 15, 2020 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. There is some uncertainty surrounding Saturday’s fight card, as a late replacement as well as two alternates have offered their services during this convoluted weigh-in period. The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s second event this week will be headlined by a heavyweight scrap between Alistair Overeem and Walt Harris. All fighters to hit the scales for UFC Fight Night 172 have made weight and the event is relatively official.

Unlike his opponent, Overeem (45-18, 1 NC) is coming off a loss. “The Demolition Man” had largely dominated Jairzinho Rozenstruik until being knocked out with just four seconds left in the fifth round. Prior to the defeat, Overeem had p…

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Irwin Rivera Replaces Mike Davis Against Giga Chikadze at UFC Fight Night 172

When the call comes...WE COMEEE!!!! TIME TO SHOW THE WORLD WHAT WE CAN DO. thank u to @AliAbdelaziz00 for quarterbacking this whole thing. Thank u @seanshelby @ufc Mi familia siempre and my ninjas going to war with me. Big respect to GiGa as well#LFG pic.twitter.com/nYMgdk85eY

— Irwin Rivera (@Beast144_1) May 15, 2020 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. On short notice, a champion from another promotion has stepped up to join the ranks of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The preliminary bout of Giga Chikadze (9-2) vs. Mike Davis (8-2) at featherweight on UFC Fight Night 172 has been changed. Davis suffered an illness due to his weight cut and has been forced out of his match, where he will be replaced by Irwin Rivera (9-4). This is the second time that the Chikadze-Davis fight has been scuttled, as the two were first paire…
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Walt Harris Confident on UFC Return: ‘My Daughter is With Me Wherever I Go’

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. Returning from a personal tragedy, Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight contender Walt Harris is ready for anything that will be thrown his way. The last fighter to come out to Virtual Media Day, Harris sat down maskless and looked at the screen to exclaim “Pop-up video” in reference to the popular VH1 music video series from the late 1990s. The same series also provided inspiration for the popular “Fight Facts” series running on Sherdog.

From there, Harris was ready to dive into discussion about his heavyweight headliner tilt against Alistair Overeem, for whom he admitted he has had his sights set on for a long time.

“Excitement,” Harris answered as to how he was feeling about this matchup. “I think it’s been a long time coming. It’s been a fight I’ve been looking forward [to] since I was an amateur. I’ve watched Ove…

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Eryk Anders: Walt Harris ‘Beat Me Up in the Nicest Way Possible’

Credit: Mike Fridley/Sherdog.com 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 middleweight Eryk Anders had a lot to say about his friend and training partner Walt Harris. When Anders sat down to speak with media at Virtual Media Day, although he wasn’t wearing a mask, he was smiling from ear to ear. Riding his longest win streak since he joined the promotion in 2017, Anders was ready to take on Krzysztof Jotko on Saturday. But first, he had some things to discuss on his training camp, and more importantly, one man that helped him jump-start a pro career that began in 2015.

“Walt was my introduction to MMA,” Anders explained. “Very first day I walked into an MMA gym…I had being doing a little jiu-jitsu elsewhere but…I decided I wanted to fight. [Harris’] coach at the time, a very non-competent corner, he walks up to me and is like ‘hey, can you…

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Drew Dober Wants ‘Bigger and Better Fights’ After TKO of Alexander Hernandez

@DrewDober finishes Hernandez standing!

LIVE on ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/75sm0ltWF2

— UFC (@ufc) May 14, 2020 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. Very quietly, Drew Dober has emerged as a person of interest in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s lightweight division.

The Elevation Fight Team product won for the sixth time in seven appearances at UFC Fight Night 171, dispatching Alexander Hernandez via technical knockout 4:25 into the second round of their featured 155-pound encounter at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida on Wednesday night.

The makes three consecutive KO/TKO triumphs for the 31-year-old Nebraska native, who adds Hernandez to a recent list of victims that includes Nasrat Haqparast and Marco Polo Reyes. Dober, who began his promotional tenure with just one triumph in his first fiv…

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Dana White Thought Anthony Smith’s Corner Would Stop Fight Before Fifth Round

"My teeth are falling out." #UFCJAX pic.twitter.com/FPeJ9181j0

— UFC (@ufc) May 14, 2020

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At times it was hard to watch. Yet Anthony Smith continued to battle, perhaps to his detriment.

After absorbing copious amounts of punishment, Glover Teixeira was finally able to put Smith away with punches from mount 1:04 into the fifth round of their UFC Fight Night 171 headlining bout at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, on Wednesday night. Only time will tell what the long-term ramifications are for Smith’s longevity as a fighter, but it was clear he was hurting as he did all he could to survive against his Brazilian opponent.

More than a few observers called for Smith’s corner to call the fight before it ended. While UFC president Dana White didn’t go that far, h…

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UFC Fight Night 171 ‘Smith vs. Teixeira’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

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. Sherdog’s live UFC Fight Night 171 coverage will begin at 6 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:Mike Sloan scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Mike Sloan scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Mike Sloan scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Mike Sloan scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Mike Sloan scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Mike Sloan scores the round:Scottie Smith scores the round:The…
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Khabib’s Father Reportedly in Coma, Dana White Issues Statement of Support

pic.twitter.com/vlBlcRgqym

— UFC (@ufc) May 13, 2020

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Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, the father of UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, is in a coma in a military hospital in Moscow, according to RT Sport.

Citing multiple reports in Russian media, RT Sport reports that Abdulmanap was flown to the facility last week after being initially hospitalized with what was suspected to be pneumonia in Dagestan. Abdulmanap initially fell ill at the end of April, and was transferred to Moscow as a result of heart problems, according to the report.

Islam Makhachev, a training partner of Khabib’s, confirmed the news during a recent Instagram Live stream.

“He is in Moscow. He is in critical condition,” Makhachev said.

News of Abdulmanap’s condition has spread throughout the mi…

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UFC Vet Tim Gorman Arrested After Being Found With 121 Pounds of Marijuana

Credit: Leonardo Fabri Credit: Leonardo Fabri Credit: Jeff Miller Credit: Jeff Miller

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Two-time UFC veteran Tim Gorman was arrested in Nebraska on Sunday night while in possession of 121 pounds of marijuana and other narcotics, according to a report form 6 News Omaha.

Gorman has been charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver and possession of money during a drug violation. According to the Buffalo County (Neb.) Sheriff’s Office, Gorman is being held on $250,000 bond. His court date is scheduled for June 17.

According to a statement from the Nebraska State Patrol, a trooper saw a vehicle driving on the shoulder of the interstate near Kearney on Sunday. The officer detected “clandestine activity,” and a K-9 unit detected the presence of multiple controlled substance…

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UFC Fight Night 171 Weigh-in Results: Main Event Official; Roberson Misses Weight

Former title challengers face-off!

#UFCJax - WEDNESDAY - on ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/ZIB1uVPcRJ

— UFC (@ufc) May 12, 2020 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.   The Ultimate Fighting Championship will host a rare Wednesday night event. Headlining UFC Fight Night 171 is an important light heavyweight tussle between contenders Anthony Smith and Glover Teixeira.

The card is now official as all fighters have weighed in. All fighters made weight except for Karl Roberson (187.5 pounds), who came in 1.5 pounds heavy for his middleweight bout against Marvin Vettori (186). Roberson has been fined 20 percent of his purse, which will be given to Vettori.

Smith (205) will be looking to earn another crack at Jon Jones’ belt. Since coming up short against the current 205-pound champion, “Lionheart” submitted Alexander Gustaf…

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UFC 249 Preliminary Card Averages 1.154 Million Viewers on ESPN

Two gunslingers swinging it out! @ShowtimePettis and @CowboyCerrone giving us a show! #UFC249 pic.twitter.com/viibyoxGFg

— UFC (@ufc) May 10, 2020 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. The UFC 249 prelims did a solid – though not record breaking -- number on ESPN this past Saturday, bringing an average of 1.154 million viewers to The Worldwide Leader, according to ShowBuzz Daily. The Las Vegas-based promotion resumed operations for the first time in approximately two months at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, on Saturday with a pay-per-view card topped by an interim lightweight title clash between Justin Gaethje and Tony Ferguson.

The prelims featured one of the deeper lineups in recent memory and were headlined by a welterweight rematch between Anthony Pettis and Donald Cerrone. The preliminary card air…

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Anthony Smith: Dominick Reyes Deserves Jon Jones Rematch, But He Won’t Win

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Like a lot of observers, Anthony Smith came away impressed with Dominick Reyes’ performance against Jon Jones at UFC 247.

Although Jones retained his light heavyweight crown with a unanimous decision triumph against Reyes at the Toyota Center in Houston on Feb. 8, it was a highly disputed verdict. According to MMADecisions.com, 14 media scorecards were awarded to Reyes compared to just seven for Jones.

Smith, who lost a more clear-cut decision to Jones at UFC 235, believes Reyes’ resume trumps that of another worthy 205-pound contender, Jan Blachowicz.

“As much as it pains me to say it, I think Dominick Reyes deserves the rematch,” Smith said during a UFC virtual media day appearance on Monday. “I think that he did everything he’s supposed to do. He went out there, he busted his ass and gave Jon all he could hand…

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