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The UFC 249 headliner could be in serious jeopardy, as Khabib Nurmagomedov is apparently stranded in Russia due to government travel restrictions in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The reigning lightweight champion revealed his predicament during an Instagram Live video (translation via RT Sport) on Monday. Nurmagomedov spent part of his camp at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif., but returned to Russia last week upon learning that the promotion had designs on moving UFC 249 to Abu Dhabi.

"We were training in the AKA without any information regarding the fight, where and how is it going to happen. Then the UFC told us that the fight 100 percent isn't happening in the States. And they said that 99 percent that it will happen in [United Arab] Emirates, Abu Dhabi,” Nurmagomedov said. "After talking to the UFC we decided to fly over to the Emirates a month before the fight. I don't remember the exact date, it was 19th or 20th, I'll have to check. But whe…

Ares Fighting Championship has bolstered its roster with the addition of former Bellator MMA lightweight king Will Brooks.

Matchmaker Alan Murphy revealed the signing via Twitter. Brooks was slated to make his promotional debut against Martin van Staden at Ares FC 2 on Aug. 1, but that event was postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Brooks experienced his greatest success in Bellator, where he captured the 155-pound belt and defended it three times before signing with the UFC. “Ill Will” went 1-3 in the Octagon before a brief stint with Professional Fighters League during its 2018 season. Most recently, Brooks suffered a submission loss to Gleison Tibau at Battlefield FC 2 on July 27.

The 33-year-old fighter also participated in a tryout for World Wrestling Entertainment this past December.

Ares FC 2, originally slated for Brussels, Belgium on April 2, has been rescheduled for Oct. 30.

So I accepted a matchmakin…

Craig Jones submits Kevin Casey #SUG12 pic.twitter.com/gpNMCS45Ui

— ShayMyName (@ImShannonTho) March 29, 2020

Australian grappling ace Craig Jones didn’t have much of an audience at Submission Underground 12, but it didn’t matter.

The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and decorated grappling champion tapped out UFC and Bellator veteran — and Rickson Gracie black belt — Kevin Casey with a heel hook at the 2:40 mark of regulation, earning a verbal submission from his opponent.

Due to coronavirus concerns, Submission Underground 12 took place behind closed doors at a facility formerly used as a grain silo in Portland. That wasn’t all in terms of precautions: Only one cameraman was allowed in the venue, and Chael Sonnen, the founder of SUG, served as a commentator via UFC Fight Pass from a remote location outside the venue. Additionally, the cage was sanitized in between matches.

“I’m getting way too much credit for this,” Sonne…

When the coronavirus initially began to take hold in the United States, Eddie Alvarez was admittedly among those who wasn’t sure if the outbreak was as serious as some were making it out to be.

As COVID-19 quickly developed into a global pandemic, however, Alvarez went from planning a family vacation to observing quarantine and social-distancing protocols in his native Pennsylvania.

“Right away me and my wife looked at each other and we’re like, ‘If the kids get off school, we’re headed straight to Disney.’ I was still three months out from my fight,” Alvarez said on ”Beatdown.” “I’m like, ‘We can head to Disney for five days and have the time of our life.’ That was my initial thought, but we sat and waited on it a little bit, kept listening to the news, kept reading everything that was coming out. I was like, ‘This is for real.’ We have friends who are nurses, family who are nurses – the more stories we were hearing, the more we need to stay our ass home, stay in the …

Credit: Jay Pettry/Sherdog.com

Dana White has come under heavy scrutiny for his “show must go on” mentality during the coronavirus pandemic, but not everyone is critical of the UFC president’s philosophy.

Count light heavyweight contender Dominick Reyes among those who praises White’s efforts to do whatever it takes to proceed with UFC 249 on April 18. Reyes, of course, isn’t scheduled to compete on the card, but he nonetheless understands the mentality of a fighter.

“Dana handled this whole thing exactly how you should handle it,” Reyes told UFC.com. “We are the toughest motherf—-ers in the world. Our sport is not like any other sport; you cannot compare it to anything else. Everything we do is different. The only thing we do that other sports do is put in hard work and entertain. We train our whole lives for these fights. For a lot of guys with fights that got postponed, I imagine it being heartbreaking.

“I applaud Dana and I applaud the fighters that are doing…

As the Ultimate Fighting Championship scrambles to put together a card and find a venue for UFC 249, the rest of the promotion’s schedule remains very much in limbo during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

That includes UFC 250, which is headlined by a women’s featherweight title clash between reigning champion Amanda Nunes and Felicia Spencer. At this point, UFC president Dana White seems determined to move forward with some type of normal event itinerary after April 18, though that could prove challenging as numbers rise in the reported cases of COVID-19 all over the globe.

For now, Spencer will continue to prepare like she’s getting her title shot until it is confirmed that her date with Nunes has been canceled or postponed.

“I'm still 100 percent ready to fight on May 9,” she told UFC.com. “I haven't heard anything different, so I'm gonna just assume until that point that it's all going through. I don't want to take a step back in training and not give myself…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrjT2HrxtsA&w=560&h=315] Video footage of UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones' arrest has now been released.

On Friday, an arrest video surfaced from the bodycam footage, and was posted by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. In the video, Jones explained to officers that he had a drink of vodka, and struggled with the sobriety tests due to claimed attention deficit disorder and that he gets "punched in the head for a living." He also described that his short-term memory was "really bad" due to his combat sports career.

When questioned about why he was driving around during a pandemic, he claimed he "got stir crazy" and was pulled over for "being nice to homeless people." He said, "It was my first drive in two weeks. I saw these homeless guys, I was being nice to them, having conversation with them, treating them like humans." Jones then takes alternative tests including counting forwards and backwards, along with reciting the alphabe…

I think UFCs 205 div needs a new champ! ( One thats not forever in trouble!)I think me and Reyes deserve to fight for that belt! @danawhite @Mickmaynard2 @ufc @DomReyes @UFCBrasil @Alexdavismma @espnmma

— Thiago Marreta (@TMarretaMMA) March 26, 2020 Much has been said in the MMA community about Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight champ Jon Jones, but a former opponent has something else in mind.

On Thursday, Thiago Santos (21-7) wrote on Twitter that he is ready for the UFC to move on from Jon Jones. He called for a title fight with Dominick Reyes (12-1), another man who recently faced Jones. Both men recently took Jones to very narrow decisions, and lost in bouts that some claimed the two men won their respective matchups.

Santos wrote, “I think UFC's 205 div needs a new champ! (One that’s not forever in trouble!) I think me and Reyes deserve to fight for that belt!”

Jones was arrested on Thursday night and charg…

MMA fighter Jon 'Bones' Jones arrested for DWI https://t.co/GDna6OiUdZ

— KOAT.com (@koat7news) March 26, 2020 The Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight champ has a slate of charges to deal with stemming from his recent arrest.

On Thursday morning, KOAT 7 News in Albuquerque, New Mexico, reported that Jon Jones has been arrested and charged with multiple offenses. Those charges include an aggravated DWI, the negligent use of a firearm, possession of an open container of alcohol in his vehicle and operating a vehicle without insurance.

According to arresting officer Brian Johnson, gunshots were heard after 1 a.m. on Thursday in Albuquerque, and officers responded to the scene. They found Jones in his vehicle, where Jones claimed he was unaware of shots fired. Upon questioning, Jones admitted he had been driving, while officers took note of his potential intoxication. He was given a sobriety test, which led to a Br…

Journey Newson laid. him. out.

Stream #UFC247 on ESPN+ https://t.co/o0wWlKxpbj pic.twitter.com/aTEOeccFv1

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) February 9, 2020 Journey Newson’s first Ultimate Fighting Championship triumph has been overturned to a no contest.

The change has been reflected on the event results page of record keeper mixedmartialarts.com. According to a report from ESPN, Newson’s victory was changed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) due to a positive marijuana test.

In addition to the no contest, Newson could face and fine and suspension from TDLR.

Newson’s performance at UFC 247 was one for the highlight reels, as he dropped Domingo Pilarte with an overhand right and then finished his foe with follow-up punches on the canvas 38 seconds into their Feb. 8 encounter in Houston.

A 31-year-old native of Beaverton, Ore., Newson dropped a unanimous decision to Ricardo Ramos in his Octagon debut…

Conor McGregor remains at the forefront of battling the coronavirus in his home country, as the former UFC champion recently made a significant contribution to hospitals in Ireland.

McGregor shared on Twitter a text message exchange with Irish minister of finance Paschal Donohoe in which he revealed that he will be donating 1 million euro – a little less than $1.1 million – in protective gear to hospitals in the Leinster region of Ireland.

"Today, I am purchasing myself, €1 million euro worth of personal protective equipment to be deployed to all of the fighting hospitals in the Leinster region," McGregor texted to Donohoe. "Our most affected region, to this date.

"Where would we be without these brave men and women, I do not know. May God bless over them and keep them safe."

Thank you sincerely for your message, Minister Paschal Donohoe.Here is my reply. pic.twitter.com/0NcnVgrKaA

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) M…

EVENT UPDATE.

Following new government measures, our upcoming Belfast and Birmingham shows have been postponed.

New dates:

Belfast - September 26th - @SSEBelfastArenaBirmingham - October 10th - @ArenaBirmingham

Full statement https://t.co/mDiNyuOwQH pic.twitter.com/AFctbgZOlO— Cage Warriors (@CageWarriors) March 25, 2020

Cage Warriors has elected to reschedule two upcoming events as a result of new government measures in place due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The European promotion announced Wednesday that an April 18 event slated for Birmingham Arena in Birmingham, England, has been moved to Oct. 10, while a May 16 card set for SSE Arena in Belfast, Ireland, will now take place on Sept. 26.

“We would like to apologize to fans who were looking forward to these events and thank them for their continued support, but April and May will have to be rescheduled,” Cage Warriors President Graham Boylan said. “We…

One of the most intriguing topics in the mixed martial arts community these days is the possible location for UFC 249.

UFC president Dana White has stated that he has a venue “99.9 percent confirmed” for the April 18 event, but he isn’t showing his hand just yet. As a result, online oddsmaker BetOnline has released odds on the potential hosts for UFC 249. The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has made finding a suitable venue challenging with government restrictions, limitations on gatherings and various closures.

Currently, Florida is the leader with 2-to-1 odds (+200) to host UFC 249. MMAFighting.com reporter Steven Marrocco recently reported that the promotion has been in talks to hold the event in the Sunshine State with Orlando, Tampa and Jacksonville as potential destinations. Regional organization Combat Night held a fight card in Jacksonville on March 21.

Next in line as a potential landing spot is the United Arab Emirates, which has been given 7-to-2 odds (+35…

The proposed third meeting between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder is the latest sporting event to fall victim to the coronavirus pandemic.

Top Rank chairman Bob Arum informed ESPN that the bout will not take place on July 18 as originally planned due to ongoing concerns regarding COVID-19. However, the trilogy is still expected to be next for both fighters.

"Clearly not (on July 18),” Arum said. "We don't even know if the MGM will even be open by then.

"You could not guarantee the fighters that the event would take place on that date. We couldn't convince them or ourselves," Arum said. "Where were they going to train for it? It just made no sense. You just have to take a step back. How are you going to sell tickets? It's absolutely ridiculous to say the fight is on when the Brits can't even get there.”

Fury knocked out Wilder in the seventh round of their rematch on Feb. 22. Shortly thereafter, Wilder exercised the rematch clause in his contract. Fury and Wil…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1n5JWZf6KA&w=560&h=315]

Branko Cikatic, the inaugural K-1 Grand Prix champion and a competitor during the early days of Pride Fighting Championships, has died at age 65.

Cikatic passed away in his native Croatia due to Parkinson’s Disease on Monday. Cikatic had encountered numerous health problems in recent years, as he had a pulmonary embolism in 2018 and then an infection that led to sepsis. It was around that time that he was also diagnosed with Parkinson’s.

“Bad news this morning when I woke up, the great Branko Cikatic has passed away,” UFC Hall of Famer Bas Rutten wrote on Facebook. “Wow, such a strong fighter, I remember watching him fight in the ‘Jaap Eden Hal’ in Holland, he and Ernesto Hoost (another great fighter) had some crazy matches there. 87 wins, 82 KO's, that should say it all. His trainer Thom Harinck, head coach from the world famous Chukuriki gym in Holland did an amazing job with him.”

“He always look…

Even as UFC heavyweight champion, Stipe Miocic has maintained his gig as a part-time firefighter in Ohio.

As the country ramps up safety precautions during the COVID-19 pandemic, Miocic is focused more than ever on those duties. In fact, being a firefighter takes precedent over Miocic’s highly-anticipated UFC return. He is expected to face Daniel Cormier in a trilogy bout once he is fully recovered from eye surgery and the promotion can resume its schedule as planned.

“It’s looking like summer, but with this [coronavirus] going on right now, honestly I’m not even worried about that,” Miocic said of his next fight in an interview with UFC reporter Megan Olivi. “I’m worried about firefighting, and the paramedics out there and I got to do what I got to do. That’s my go-to now. There’s so many people out there that need help. There’s people that are going to stay at home and some of them might get sick. I’m putting myself in harm’s way and I’m OK with that, but I’ve got to ma…

On Monday evening, multiple outlets reported that a bantamweight clash between Aljamain Sterling and Cory Sandhagen has been targeted for UFC San Diego on May 16.

Sterling says it simply isn’t true. The UFC’s upcoming schedule is completely tentative due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and the 30-year-old New York native is fine with waiting until things settle down before accepting a bout.

“We’ve spoken about a few different opponents. As far as I know there is no fight announcement. Especially with all this chaos happening,” Sterling wrote on Twitter.

“I don’t even have access to my gym anymore. It’s been a complete ban for everyone and you guys think I’m taking a fight? Yea, ok.”

We’ve spoken about a few different opponents. As far as I know there is no fight announcement. Especially with all this chaos happening

— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) March 24, 2020

I don’t e…

A bantamweight matchup pitting Aljamain Sterling against Cory Sandhagen is in the works for UFC Fight Night 175.

TSN was first to report the bout. UFC Fight Night 175 is expected to take place at Pechanga Arena in San Diego on May 16 and is headlined by a lightweight clash between Dustin Poirier and Dan Hooker. As with every upcoming event, UFC San Diego — and all fights on the card — is tentative due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Thus far, the promotion has postponed events through April 11.

Sterling is currently on a four-bout winning streak inside the Octagon. Most recently, “Funk Master” earned a unanimous decision triumph over Pedro Munhoz at UFC 238 this past June. The 30-year-old New Yorker is 10-3 in UFC competition and owns other notable victories against the likes of Jimmie Rivera, Cody Stamann, Renan Barao and Takeya Mizugaki.

Sandhagen has been victorious in his last seven professional outings, including five in the UFC. The Elevation Fight Tea…

Dana White tells Kevin Iole that Khabib/Ferguson is still happening on April 18. pic.twitter.com/nDC3GNcwbn

— Jed I. Goodman (@jedigoodman) March 23, 2020

UFC 249 has a location, but Dana White isn’t ready to reveal all the details just yet.

“I do [know where it is],” White said in an Instagram Live interview with Yahoo Sports’ Kevin Iole. “But I’m not ready to tell you yet. I know lots of things. … There’s not going to be any fans there. It’s going to be a closed event.”

UFC 249 takes place on April 18 and features a lightweight championship showdown between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson. Uncertainty has surrounded the card since the coronavirus outbreak forced the promotion to postpone events slated for March 21, March 28 and April 11. UFC 249 was originally slated for the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., but that New York State Athletic Commission officially nixed those plans last week.

Despite the ongoing th…

Credit: Joao Baptista Credit: Joao Baptista Credit: Joao Baptista

The doctor who administered over-limit intravenous (IV) infusions to UFC middleweight contender Paulo Henrique Costa in 2017 has received a sanction from USADA.

The anti-doping agency announced Monday that Dr. Lucas Penchel of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, has accepted a two-year suspension for giving IVs of permitted substances to Costa and his training partner Carlos Costa.

“Dr. Penchel, like all athlete support personnel, was entrusted to help athletes make safe and informed decisions, but instead, he violated anti-doping rules and his oath to best protect athletes’ health and safety,” USADA CEO Travis T. Tygart said.

In June and November 2017, Paulo Costa required an IV to take medication for his stomach ahead of bouts at UFC 212 and UFC 217. In both instances, the IVs were administered within a 12-hour window of the UFC’s weigh-ins. Though the fighter did not receive any banned substances, IV infusi…

Henry Cejudo is coming for the top pound-for-pound spot in mixed martial arts.

Currently, the UFC bantamweight champion and Olympic gold medalist is No. 3 on the UFC.com and Sherdog.com pound-for-pound polls. While the order differs in both, the two men in front of him — Khabib Nurmagomedov and Jon Jones — do not (Jones is first on UFC.com, while Nurmagomedov is No. 1 on Sherdog.com).

In a social media post on Sunday, Cejudo vowed to overtake the two champions in front of him.

“There are two men ahead of me on the pound-for-pound rankings and I’m here to tell you, ‘Virus or no virus that crown will be mine,’” Cejudo wrote.

Cejudo is scheduled to defend his bantamweight crown against Jose Aldo at UFC 250 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on May 9. “The Messenger” is currently on a five-bout winning streak that includes triumphs over Demetrious Johnson, T.J. Dillashaw and Marlon Moraes. Cejudo recently relinquished the flyweight crown after a brief stint as two-division …

Count Conor McGregor among those who has Italy in his prayers during the coronavirus pandemic.

The former two-division UFC champion, who is a native of Dublin, Ireland, released a statement on Instagram directed toward the nation, which has been among the countries hit hardest by the coronavirus outbreak.

“I cannot get Italy out of my thoughts,” McGregor wrote. “Praying daily for this great nation that brought the world such amazing things. From its people and their culture. To its architecture and design. Its style! It’s cuisine! It’s art! The list goes on and on and on! Italy and its people are class personified, through and through. ‪Lord Jesus please save Italy and its people today and everyday here forward.”

Currently, Italy is behind only China with nearly 60,000 documented cases of coronavirus, and its more than 5,000 deaths are the most in the world.

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

Niko Price has signed a new four-fight deal with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

The welterweight competitor announced the news via Twitter on Saturday. Price was scheduled to face Muslim Salikhov at UFC Fight Night 172 on April 11, but the event was postponed due to coronavirus concerns.

“I’m so blessed and thankful for the [UFC],” Price wrote. “I’ll be sure to keep it entertaining for you guys.”

BREAKING NEWS!!! I forgot to mention I signed a new 4 fight contract I’m so blessed and thankful for the @ufc ! I’ll be sure to keep it entertaining for you guys! #ufc #newcontract #LetsGo #glorytogod

— Niko Price (@Nikohybridprice) March 21, 2020

Price has delivered nothing bout entertaining thus far during his promotional tenure, compiling a 6-3 record with on no contest in UFC competition while f…

Conor McGregor seems to be rejuvenated after his quick finish of Donald Cerrone in the UFC 246 headliner.

The Irish star returned to the Octagon to author a 40-second technical knockout of the popular “Cowboy” at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Jan. 18, and the performance reaffirmed McGregor as the biggest star in the sport. After losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov in a lightweight championship clash at UFC 229, the “Notorious” was absent from the cage for more than a year as he made more headlines for out-of-the cage issues than he did for his fighting career.

In a recent interview with Bleacher Report, McGregor claims that he found a renewed focus heading into UFC 246.

"I will admit that the fight before UFC 246, I did not train properly and was not in perfect condition," he said. "Call it what you want. I am hungry today. Hungry like a man who has not eaten for weeks. ... When I set my mind to something, there is nothing I can not accomplish. It is that power o…