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Following recent claims from former United States President, Donald Trump how former UFC lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov is his favorite all-time fighter – the former fighter’s head coach, Javier Mendez claims he’s “not surprised”.

Nurmagomedov, a former undisputed lightweight gold holder, and inductee into the Hall of Fame of the UFC, called time on his career back in 2020, following an unbeaten 29-0 fight professional career. 

Submitting then-interim lightweight champion, Justin Gaethje with a dominant second round triangle choke win, Khabib Nurmagomedov would then call time on his career, despite slews of calls for a comeback to fighting from Dana White and other promotional officials.

And reacting to Trump’s claims that Khabib Nurmagomedov is his favorite fighter of all time, the Russian’s bitter nemesis, Conor McGregor hit out at the duo.

“Campaign ending decision,” Conor McGregor posted. “A smelly fat mountain monkey from the inbred mountains of Dagestan is your favorite UFC (AMERICAN COMPANY) fighter? Wow. Abysmal. I was actually wrong. Couple hundred million he is worth. Not multi B. I would have thought USA ONLY would be the mentality here and what I would want to see out of my President, personally.”

“To pick a retired inbred fighter from Dagestan, Russia who has 3 main events only to his name is astounding,” Conor McGregor continued. “Over all the American fighters that have backed him. It’s a shocking decision. He was caught on the spot. That won’t go unnoticed on the roster. This presidential race is very tight right now. More so now.”

“Trump’s favorite fighter,” Conor McGregor wrote. “Here he is in a tiny tub with his fellow inbred pals in Dagestan. Can you spot him? Where’s Khabib? Find Khabib.”

Javier Mendez “not surprised” by Donald Trump’s admiration for Khabib Nurmagomedov

However, according to Khabib Nurmagomedov’s veteran head coach, Mendez, it’s no surprise to him that his student is the former President’s favorite combat sports athlete ever.

“No I haven’t seen it and I’m not surprised, Donald Trump has always spoken highly about Khabib (Nurmagomedov) and what a great fighter he thinks and also, Donald Trump from the very beginning back when the UFC just started and they would get into the Trump Towers, their hotels and Donald Trump was one of the few people that took a chance on them back in the day,” Mendez told Red Corner MMA. “So, Donald Trump’s an MMA fan so not surprising that he would chose ‘The Eagle’ because we all choose ‘The Eagle’ – I choose ‘The Eagle’.”

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In his bid to build a super fight between Terence Crawford, as well as super middleweight gold holder, Canelo Alvarez – Saudi adviser, Turki Alalshikh has hit out at the Mexican for apparently “wasting time” during negotiations as well as picking “easy fights” during his career.

Canelo Alvarez, the current super middleweight champion, returns to action next month in Las Vegas, taking on unbeaten New York challenger, Edgar Berlanga in the pair’s grudge fight – with the WBA, WBO, and WBC championships on the line.

As for Crawford, the unbeaten striking sensation landed the WBA and interim WBO light middleweight crowns in Las Angeles over the course of the weekend, turning in his stunning forty-first professional win with a decision success over Israil Madrimov. 

Turki Alalshikh hits out at boxing star, Canelo Alvarez

And amid links to a potential super fight for gold in the future, Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford have hit a sticking point in negotiations according to recent reports this month – with the above-mentioned, Alalshikh hitting out at the Guadalajara puncher in particular.

“I heard what Canelo said that he respects me but doesn’t like the way we do business,” Turki Alalshikh posted on his official X account. “As for him respecting me, it doesn’t matter to me if he does or not. As for the way I do business, I know why he doesn’t like it, because I only target big fights at fair prices, so of course anyone who likes big fights won’t like that.”

“And I know how he feels after losing to Bivol, so he’s been looking for easier fights ever since,” Turki Alalshikh continued. “Also, I’m not the one who’s afraid of fighting Benavidez or Crawford. Therefore, I knew he was wasting our time and making excuses with big amounts of money that can’t be paid. So I’m continuing my way to make big fights that serve the boxing world, and he’s on his way to making eash show-only fights.”

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Former undisputed middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker claims it should be clear as day to fight fans that the UFC is angling toward a stunning heavyweight title fight between Tom Aspinall and Alex Pereira next – despite reservations from Dana White about a division leap for the Brazilian.

Aspinall, the current interim heavyweight champion, co-headlined UFC 304 just earlier this month in Manchester, landing a defense of his title with a stunning opening round knockout win over perennial contender, Curtis Blaydes – avenging his sole Octagon defeat in the process.

As for Alex Pereira, the former middleweight champion turned in his second defense of the light heavyweight crow3n at UFC 303 at the end of June, stopping two-time foe, Jiri Prochazka with a stunning second round high-kick knockout during International Fight Week.

Robert Whittaker plots Tom Aspinall fight for Alex Pereira

And while Whittaker is preparing for his own potential title-eliminator against the unbeaten Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 308, he believes with Magomed Ankalaev out of the picture in a clash with Aleksandar Rakic – the UFC is angling for a super fight between Aspinall and Pereira.

“(Alex) Pereira deserves a break, he took that second fight with what’s his name and won it in outstanding fashion and then his toe was broken, so he deserves a break,” Robert Whittaker said on the MMArcade podcast. I guess I can look at it like – UFC really don’t like (Magomed) Ankalaev. Like when he fought against (Jan) Blachowicz to that draw, they wre just like, ‘Cross his name out.’”

“They’re like, yeah, like he didn’t have great rapport after that fight, right?” Whittaker questioned. “So that or it’s actually as you said, Pereira needs some time out, Ankalaev doesn’t want to sit out forever. Or, bear with me here, they’re prepping him to fight (Tom) Aspinall.”

Who would win in a heavyweight super fight: Tom Aspinall or Alex Pereira?

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Veteran referee, Herb Dean has reflected on his part in the post-fight brawl between the camps of both Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor – explaining that while he, security personnel, and other officials tried to coral the teams, there were still “plenty of targets” of attack.

Sharing the Octagon in a brutal grudge fight back in 2018, then-undisputed lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov managed to defend his title for the first time during his reign – taking on former two-weight champion, McGregor.

Taking on the Dubliner in the main event of UFC 229, Nurmagomedov landed a fourth round neck crank submission win over McGregor – handing the former champion his first defeat at 155lb, before beginning a brutal brawl with the former’s corner, including former Bellator MMA star, Dillon Danis.

Separated from McGregor by referee, Dean after appeared to spit in the direction of his bitter rival following his submission success, Nurmagomedov’s team scaled the Octagon in pursuit of the Dublin striker, with officials storming the cage in a bid to separate and stop the mass brawl.

Herb Dean reflects on Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor brawl

Reflecting on his part in stopping the influx of fights in the Octagon, veteran official, Dean admitted that while he and others managed to corral combatants, everyone inside the venue was a “target” during the fiasco.

“The funny part about that [the brawl] is even though that whole brawl was chaos,” Herb Dean said. “All those guys were extra respectful of the officials. So, I pull him (Khabib Nurmagomedov) off [of Conor McGregor] right? And then he’s still going after him, talking to him, and I’m like pushing against him. And he’s like, ‘Okay, well… I’m not gonna wrestle Herb, but I’ve got other people I’ve gotten – you.’”

“…They’re not listening, but nobody was threatening the referee or one of the inspectors,” Herb Dean explained. “You’re grabbing the guys – once you grab them they’re like, ‘Oh, okay.’ But if you don’t get them they’re like, ‘There’s plenty of targets.’”

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Angela Lee can’t help but wonder how she would have fared in the UFC.

Lee became the youngest fighter in MMA history to win a world title, claiming the ONE atomweight championship at 19 years old via a unanimous decision victory over Mei Yamaguchi in 2016. In the years that followed, ‘Unstoppable’ became one of the most exciting fighters on the roster, delivering a series of instant classics, including an iconic trilogy with Xiong Jing Nan and an absolute banger against her eventual successor, Stamp Fairtex, at ONE Championship’s 10th-anniversary event in Singapore.

She successfully defended her atomweight crown on five separate occasions and twice competed for the strawweight world title.

Sadly, Lee laid down her gold and her gloves at ONE Fight Night 14 in September 2023 following the tragic passing of her 18-year-old sister and ONE Championship prospect Victoria Lee.

Reflecting on her career in combat sports, Lee admits that she regularly thought about what it would have been like to step out of the ONE Championship spotlight and into the Octagon to test herself against a new crop of talent.

“I think if you ask any fighter, any champion, they wanna go out and test themselves,” Lee said in an interview with Demetrious Johnson. “That’s what it means to be a fighter. You’re always looking for the next challenge. If you ask any of them, yes, 100 percent, they would love to go and fight the best of the best and really find out who was No. 1.

“It’s come across my mind multiple times, of course, seeing the top-level fighters in other organizations. Looking back now, it’s really hard because when you’re in the organization, especially at the top, it’s such a scary thing to go out and jump ship or try” (h/t MMA Mania).

Angela Lee knew it was time to lay down her gloves

Following the death of her sister, Lee was inspired to address her own struggles with mental health and acknowledge that her passion for mixed martial arts simply wasn’t there anymore.

“I told myself, I love it, I love it, I love it, for so long,” Lee said. “After a while, I wasn’t really honest with myself about like, ‘Hey, I think I might be getting burnt out. Hey, this is not really fun anymore. I want a break.’ But I didn’t know how to or … I did voice it up to my team and my family, but there was some disagreement about, ‘Hey, this is not really the time to do that and this and that.’”

Last year, Lee launched FightStory, a non-profit mental health organization inspired by the life of Victoria Lee. “Our mission is to inspire, heal, and unite the world through the stories, struggles, and triumphs of fighters from all walks of life,” the official website reads.

Visit the official FightStory Instagram to learn more about the cause and how you can share your story with the world.

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Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland questioned why people show compassion for the homeless.

Strickland has been known to voice his opinion, whether it is controversial or not. In his latest questionable comments, Strickland wondered why people show compassion to homeless people as he says they are just drug addicts who did it to themselves.

“I just don’t understand the love and compassion for homeless people. These people are drugged out zombies.. They’re not down on there luck trying to get better, they’re drug zombies They bring drugs and crime around your children. Yall need to man up and sack up,” Strickland wrote on X.

After Strickland’s comments, MMA journalist Helen Yee responded by saying she used to volunteer at a homeless shelter and what the former champ said it was not true.

“There is a difference between the guy at a shelter looking for a job and a guy doing the crack zombie walk past a park,” Strickland responded. “Big difference…”

It was a comment that not many fans agreed by Sean Strickland, but the former champ often makes comments that people don’t agree with.

Sean Strickland holding out for a title shot

Sean Strickland returned to the win column back in June with a decision win over Paulo Costa. It was his first fight after dropping his middleweight title by split decision to Dricus Du Plessis.

After the win over Costa, Sean Strickland made it clear that he would be holding out for a title shot.

“I’m going to wait,” Strickland said at the evening’s post-fight press conference (via MMAFighting). “I f*cking paid my f*cking dues. I paid my dues. I got f*cking robbed [at UFC 297] … we all know I got f*cking robbed, at least Dricus doesn’t back up. So I’m going to sit my f*cking ass in the gym and I’m going to be a team player and I’m going to f*cking wait, and I’m going to f*cking wait until they say, ‘Sean, go beat this man.’”

Sean Strickland is 29-6 as a pro and coming off the win over Costa.

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What Happened to Brock Lesnar? Brock Lesnar, a staple of the WWE and former UFC heavyweight champion, has not been seen for some time on television.

What Happened to Brock Lesnar?

Brock Lesnar was a NCAA collegiate wrestling standout who transitioned into professional wrestling with the WWE. Later on, he would dip his toes in MMA and was able to capture a UFC title by defeating then-champion Randy Couture. Eventually, he would lose this title to Cain Velasquez. But, due to a bad case of diverticulitis, Lesnar decided to leave his MMA career behind and focus on the WWE. What Happened to Brock Lesnar in the UFC? He got diverticulitis and could no longer compete.

But, what happened to Brock Lesnar in the WWE? Brock Lesnar’s current status with WWE is complicated due to legal issues stemming from a lawsuit filed by Janel Grant. The lawsuit involves allegations against Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis, and the WWE, with Lesnar being potentially named as someone Grant was trafficked to. As a result, WWE’s legal team has decided to keep Lesnar off television until the situation is resolved.

Most recently, Lesnar lost to Cody Rhodes in 2023. He was initially expected to participate in events such as the 2024 Royal Rumble and WrestleMania XL, but his involvement was scrapped due to the lawsuit. Although there were rumors that WWE’s ban on mentioning Lesnar had been lifted, there has been no official word on his return to WWE programming.

Triple H has stated that WWE is open to discussing Lesnar’s return when the legal situation is clearer. However, it is ultimately up to WWE to decide when and if they want him back on screen. For now, Lesnar remains in a state of limbo, with his return contingent on the resolution of the legal issues surrounding the lawsuit.

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After an impressive first-round finish against Tony Ferguson in Abu Dhabi, TUF alumnus Michael Chiesa has the perfect opponent in mind for his next appearance.

Chiesa’s appearances inside the Octagon have been few and far between in recent years, but ‘Maverick’ is ready to get right back to work after putting away the former interim lightweight titleholder with relative ease inside Etihad Arena.

During a post-fight interview, Chiesa called for a clash with three-time title challenger Colby Covington to determine who the best wrestler in the Pacific Northwest truly is.

“I want to fight Colby Covington. I’ve been saying this for years,” Chiesa said. “That guy can sit on the sidelines and say whatever he wants. I’m not chasing the ranking. I don’t give a sh*t. I just want to find out who is the best fighter. Who is the best welterweight in the Pacific Northwest? I know he resides in Dade County, Mr. 305, but let’s find out who’s the best in the Northwest. Is it me or is it you?

“That’s what I want to find out. Are you going to idly sit down and do nothing? Or are you going to come back and fight? Keep your ranking, I don’t give a sh*t. I just want to find out who’s the best in the Northwest” (h/t Sherdog).

Colby Covington clings to his No. 4 ranking despite little activity and even fewer wins

Like Chiesa, Covington is 2-3 in his last five, though ‘Chaos’ is barely averaging one fight per year at this point. Still, that hasn’t stopped the staunch MAGA supporter from talking his way into a title opportunity — or three of them. Covington came up short in all three bids, losing to Kamaru Usman twice before getting shut down by Leon Edwards in his last outing.

Covington appeared to be on a collision course with rising contender Ian Machado Garry after ‘Chaos’ shared some distasteful remarks regarding Garry’s marriage to TV personality Layla Machado Garry. Unfortunately, interest in that fight quickly waned after ‘The Future’ claimed Covington had declined the UFC’s offer to make it happen.

Covington has since denied that the promotion ever offered him the fight.

Despite his limited activity and zero wins over anyone in the current welterweight top 15, Covington continues to cling to his No. 4 ranking, making him a target for fighters like Garry who is steadily working his way up the ladder.

However, it looks like ‘Chaos’ is more interested in waiting for undeserved title fights or marquee matchups against fighters on an active losing streak.

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With Belal Muhammad now sitting atop the welterweight division, ex-titleholder Kamaru Usman may have found his way back in.

Having lost back-to-back bouts against Leon Edwards, the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ has been stuck sitting on the outside looking in. That’s no longer the case after Muhammad delivered a dominant five-round showing against ‘Rocky’ to claim the 170-pound crown at UFC 304 in Manchester. Now, ‘Remember The Name’ has an assortment of potential contenders lining up.

Of them, the two most intriguing appear to be Usman and undefeated finisher Shavkat Rakhmonov.

Speaking with ESPN’s Heidi Androl while attending Saturday’s UFC event in Abu Dhabi, Muhammad was asked to choose who he’d rather face between them.

“Any one of them,” Muhammad replied. “Usman, obviously, I think, for legacy. He was one of the biggest names in the division. He’s under GSP, and I think he’s still got treading on the tires even though he lost a close fight to Leon and then a really close fight to to Khamzat. And like I said, I think name value, he has a bigger name.”

“But also, I wanna fight the boogeyman. The boogeyman that everybody says could beat anybody. He’s gonna walk through anybody. And the way my career has been, they’ve always been putting me as underdog.”

“I knew even after beating Leon, they would say, ‘Well, Shavkat will walk through him. He can’t do that to Shavkat.’ I’m just gonna keep doing it,” he added. “I’m gonna do it to every single one of the fighters in the division. Dana White’s just gotta give me a a time and a date, and I’m ready to go” (h/t MMA Mania).

Belal Muhammad plans to defend his title in 2024

Muhammad plans to be an active champion, targeting a return in either November or December. But first, he’ll have to heal up after eating a nasty elbow from Edwards in the closing seconds of their title tilt.

“The stupid nose thing in the last 10 seconds, I gotta get this healed up,” he said. “Once it’s healed up, I’ll get back in the gym, get back to work.”

Muhammad’s win over Edwards extended his unbeaten streak to 10, a run that dates back to his win over Curtis Millender at UFC 236 in April 2019. It was the first loss for ‘Rocky’ in more than eight years.

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UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley is confident he’d make quick work of Deiveson Figueiredo inside the Octagon.

Figueiredo defeated former UFC title challenger Marlon Vera at UFC Abu Dhabi on Saturday by unanimous decision. His resurgence at bantamweight continued this weekend as he moved one step closer to a potential title shot.

O’Malley will face the surging Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306 next month but is still keeping a keen eye on the rest of the bantamweight division. This includes Figueiredo, who dismantled O’Malley’s most recent title challenger over three rounds.

Despite the impressive nature of Figueiredo’s performance, O’Malley wasn’t taken aback by anything that Figueiredo showed against his former two-time rival.

Sean O’Malley Blasts ‘Little Twat’ Deiveson Figueiredo

In a recent tweet, O’Malley gave a less-than-glowing review of Figueiredo’s performance.

“I’d KO that little twat,” O’Malley tweeted.

As of this writing, Figueiredo hasn’t responded to O’Malley’s recent tweet. He called for a title shot against the O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili winner during his post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier.

Figueiredo has won three consecutive fights since making the full-time move from flyweight to bantamweight last year. A tetralogy loss to Brandon Moreno at UFC 283 preceded recent wins over Cody Garbrandt and Rob Font.

O’Malley, one of the UFC’s top pound-for-pound fighters, will look to successfully defend his belt for the second time at UFC 306. He’ll headline the UFC’s one-off event at the Las Vegas Sphere, in the first major sporting event held at the venue.

Figueiredo is looking to reclaim a UFC belt for the first time since a win over Moreno at UFC 270. Before losing the series against Moreno, Figueiredo seemed destined to be a potential long-term champion in the UFC flyweight division.

O’Malley remains laser-focused on his upcoming challenge against Dvalishvili; winner of 10 straight fights. But, many intriguing challengers including Figueiredo are waiting in the wings for a shot against the UFC titleholder.

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