Two of the very best flyweights in the world will headline the upcoming UFC Vegas 98 fight card on Oct. 12, 2024 from inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Nevada, as the No. 1-ranked contender, Brandon Royval, looks to become the first fighter to defeat red-hot youngster and the No. 5-ranked contender, Tatsuro Taira.
UFC announced the main event matchup on social media on Friday night. Check it out below:
HUGE flyweight news
No. 1 @BrandonRoyval and No. 5 @TatsuroTaira are set to headline #UFCVegas98 pic.twitter.com/oIgWicVDXC
— UFC (@ufc) August 24, 2024
Royval, 32, lost his first UFC title shot to current UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja back at UFC 296 in Dec. 2023. Many thought “Raw Dawg” may have done enough in that fight to walk away with a split-decision win, but the champion ultimately got the nod. The loss snapped a three-fight win streak for Royval.
Luckily, the former LFA flyweight champion bounced back with a huge decision win over former UFC king Brandon Moreno this past February. That was a massive rematch and a huge performance for Royval who proved he can win a five-round fight and beat the best in the world. That victory has put him back on the doorstep of another UFC title shot.
Standing in his way will be Taira, who is 6-0 since entering the promotion back in 2022. The 24-year-old sensation has looked better every time he’s stepped inside the Octagon. His last fight against perennial contender Alex Perez in June may have ended with a knee injury to Perez, but Taira was dominating that fight. His grappling, fight IQ, and ability to inflict damage was on another level.
With Muhammad Mokaev out of the flyweight mix, the winner of this UFC Vegas 98 main event will most likely get the next shot at Pantoja’s flyweight reign.
Stick with Mania for more UFC Vegas 98 fight card news.
Chinese prospect Xie Bin closed out the show last night (Fri., Aug. 23, 2024) at “Road to UFC” (Season 3) from inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, when the stopped Masuto Kawana in the main event with a monstrous first-round knockout (punches).
Fight fans had to nearly pull an all-nighter to stay up late enough to see the conclusion of this event, but “Road to UFC” has produced some solid talent in the past so a few less hours of sleep didn’t hurt that much. Last night’s show was also the semi-final round so the intensity was even higher.
While the card was entertaining from start to finish, the main event was the biggest takeaway by far. Xie had lost his “Road to UFC” quarterfinals matchup back in 2022 so he was out for a little bit of redemption. Kawana, on the other hand, was looking to build on a four-fight win streak and punch his ticket to Season 3’s finale.
Unfortunately for Kawana, he simply couldn’t withstand the power of Xie. With just under one minute left in the first round, Xie landed a beautifully-timed counter right hand as he was moving backwards and toppled Kawana to the canvas. Xie quickly moved in and as Kawana was getting back to his feet “The Stalker” landed one final right that ended the matchup instantly.
Check out the video highlights in the above player
Bin, 26, is now riding a five-fight win streak and will have his chance to win the Season 3 final his next time out. This was an incredible way to redeem himself from his “Road to UFC” shortcomings just two years ago and easily his biggest career finish to date.
For complete “Road to UFC” semi-final results, coverage, and highlights, click HERE.
LAS VEGAS — If fight fans needed MAWR mixed martial arts (MMA) action after Contender Series on Tuesday and before UFC Vegas 96 Saturday, then we’ve got you covered. Indeed, “Road to UFC” (Season 3) semifinal action takes place tonight (Fri., Aug 23, 2024) inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Two episodes are set to go down with five fights each. The first episode — Road to UFC Semifinals, Part 1 — starts at 9 p.m. ET, while episode two — Road to UFC Semifinals, Part 2 — begins at 11 p.m. ET.
The first semifinal episode’s main event features Tokitaka Nakanishi (12-3) vs. Baergeng Jieleyis (17-5). Nakanishi is riding a seven-fight win streak, but missed weight by one pound. Top Irish prospect and Invicta Strawweight champion, Danni McCormack (8-2), kicks off the card against “Queen Kong” Qihui Yan (25-4).
The second semifinal episode is headlined by former Contender Series and Road to UFC alumni Xie Bin (12-4) vs. Masuto Kawana (10-3). Another fight features Road to UFC finalist Shin Haraguchi(8-1) versus knockout artist, Kangjie Zhu (19-4).
Floyd Mayweather Jr. is pulling out all the stops for his first official fight in Mexico City, Mexico, and that includes riding around town in a bulletproof tank.
In case you don’t know, Mayweather will make his return to the boxing ring this weekend in a rematch against John Gotti III. This will be a reboot from their initial exhibition boxing match back in June 2023, which ended in excessive trash talking and an all-out brawl inside of the ring. Boxing fans have been awaiting Mayweather’s return to action ever since.
Luckily, they won’t have to wait any longer as “Money” meets Gotti live on DAZN PPV this Saturday night (Aug. 24, 2024) from inside Arena CDMX. Believe it or not, this will be the first time in Mayweather’s near-30 year career that he is fighting on Mexican soil. That’s pretty incredible to believe.
While Mexico City isn’t the safest place in the world due to ongoing issues with local cartels it’s especially dangerous for someone like Mayweather. Not only because Mayweather carries an insane amount of cash with him wherever he goes, but also because “Money” has defeated some of Mexico’s most popular boxers. This includes Canelo Alvarez, Oscar De La Hoya, and Juan Manuel Marquez. Needless to say, the undefeated boxer didn’t know what to expect when he traveled south of the border.
In effort to move throughout Mexico City in peace, Mayweather rode around in a massive bulletproof tank. The millionaire boxer has been known to purchase some pretty wild cars over the years, but this one takes the cake. Check out the footage below:
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Floyd Mayweather was seen in a bulletproof tank in Mexico ahead of his exhibition rematch against John Gotti III
pic.twitter.com/cUXKI9eLTJ
— My Mixtapez (@mymixtapez) August 22, 2024
Of course, fight fans had a lot to say about Mayweather’s bulletproof whip. Check out some of the hilarious reaction below and don’t miss Mayweather’s rematch with Gotti this weekend in Mexico City:
“Not even Donald trump ask for that much”
“No wonder why he already needs more money”
“I mean almost everyone in Mexico hates him so”
“Floyd won’t be talking his normal shit in Mexico”
“I bet he can’t spell bulletproof”
“Hope they got his step stool”
“Floyd taking no chances”
“The cartel could still get em if they wanted to”
“Traveling in a tank, but transitioning between locations at a snails pace and waving at fans. Pure retardation.”
The 2024 Professional Fighters League (PFL) playoffs continue TONIGHT (Fri., Aug. 23, 2024) inside The Anthem in Washington, D.C., with Welterweights and Featherweight talent taking center stage. Headlining the event is a 145-pound matchup between Brendan Loughnane taking on Kai Kamaka III. In the co-main event, Magomed Umalatov will battle Neiman Gracie in Welterweight action.
The event will stream on ESPN+ and ESPN for United States-based viewers, while international mixed martial arts (MMA) fans can catch the action via DAZN starting at 6:30 p.m. ET.
PFL Washington D.C. Quick Results:
145 lbs.: Brendan Loughnane vs. Kai Kamaka III 170 lbs.: Magomed Umalatov vs. Neiman Gracie 145 lbs.: Gabriel Braga vs. Timur Khizriev 170 lbs.: Shamel Musaev vs. Murad Ramazanov 170 lbs.: Ray Cooper III vs. Mukhamed Berkhamov 145 lbs.: Tyler Diamond vs. Enrique Barzola 265 lbs.: Maxwell Djantou Nana vs. Kent Mafileo 170 lbs.: Shido Boris Esperanca vs. Tyler Hill 145 lbs.: Jesse Stirn vs. Jose Perez
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is just one day away from the upcoming UFC Vegas 96 mixed martial arts (MMA) event, which is set to go down tomorrow night (Sat., Aug. 24, 2024) on ESPN and ESPN+ from inside APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada. UFC Vegas 96 features a middleweight main event between Top 15 title contenders Jared Cannonier and Caio Borralho, a five-round headliner with major title implications for late 2024 and beyond.
Before we dive into the main and co-main event, which includes the strawweight showdown between Angela Hill and Tabitha Ricci, check out Andrew Richardson’s “X-Factor” breakdown for the rest of the UFC Vegas 96 main card by clicking here. Get all the latest “Cannonier vs. Borralho” odds and betting props courtesy of DraftKings right here. For UFC Vegas 96 live results and play-by-play click here.
185 lbs.: Jared Cannonier vs. Caio Borralho
Jared “Killa Gorilla” Cannonier Record: 17-7 | Age: 40 | Betting line: +200 Wins: 10 KO/TKO, 2 SUB, 5 DEC | Losses: 3 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 4 DEC Height: 5’11” | Reach: 77” | Stance: Switch Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 4.62 | Striking accuracy: 52% Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 4.19 | Striking Defense: 58% Takedown Average: 0.47 (46% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 61% Current Ranking: No. 5 | Last fight: Technical knockout loss to Nassourdine Imavov
Caio “The Natural” Borralho Record: 16-1, 1 NC | Age: 31 | Betting line: -245 Wins: 5 KO/TKO, 4 SUB, 7 DEC | Losses: 0 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 1 DEC Height: 6’1“ | Reach: 75” | Stance: Southpaw Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 2.91 | Striking accuracy: 60% Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 2.06 | Striking Defense: 60% Takedown Average: 1.99 (63% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 76% Current Ranking: No. 12 | Last fight: Knockout win over Paul Craig
Jared Cannonier turned 40 back in March but you certainly wouldn’t be able to tell based on his physical gifts. It’s hard to draw conclusions on where he’s at in his combat sports career after his controversial loss to Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Louisville back in June. Was it an early stoppage? Absolutely. Was Cannonier in all kinds of trouble before the finish? No doubt about it. What isn’t known is whether or not “Killa Gorilla” had a rough day at the office. Maybe Imavov was just a bad matchup or found the opening he needed. There is talk of Cannonier falling apart but in order to subscribe to that theory, we have to overlook his one-sided ass kicking of Marvin Vettori in June 2023, which followed a win over former middleweight champion Sean Strickland the year before. Assuming Cannonier — a former heavyweight — is just as dangerous as he was against “The Italian Dream” we still have to account for the fact that he sometimes falls flat and underperforms, like he did against Israel Adesanya at UFC 276; so yeah, predicting a Cannonier fight presents its challenges.
“Sometimes for me, being so high in the rankings, being so close to another title shot, I think I put a little bit of pressure on myself,” Cannonier told MMA Junkie. “There was always conversations with randoms like, ‘Title shot next.’ I was focusing more on what could be, as opposed to what was next. Not to say that I wasn’t focused on my opponents or focused in camp or focused on my fight. It feels like there’s been a weight lifted off me not having to worry about the implications of this fight. Not to say that there aren’t bad implications if I lose. Not to say that I’m not concerned about the dangers that each of these contests present. But I’m planning to just go in there and instead of trying not to lose, focus more on doing my thing and getting that win.”
Cannonier has 12 finishes in 17 wins, 10 by way of knockout.
“I think he’s going to be in trouble even if he does get me down, because he’s not going to be able to keep me down,” Cannonier continued. “And if he ends up on the bottom, it’s not going to be too good for him down there. So I’ve got all the confidence in my ground game. I don’t know why people think my ground game isn’t good. I haven’t been submitted in the UFC. I haven’t been submitted in my career. When I was green I fought Glover Teixeira and I spent a lot of time underneath him and didn’t get tapped. And I was green as far as my grappling goes back then. I’m much better now. If you guys are thinking of taking me down, you’re more than welcome to try.”
Caio Borralho cut his teeth on Dana White’s “Contender Series” back in late 2021 but needed two appearances at the APEX proving ground to land a UFC contract. Since then, the Brazilian has been off to the races, racking up six straight wins while breaking into the Top 15 of the middleweight rankings. That said, his road to the top has been mostly highway miles and Cannonier represents a major step up in competition. Of the six fighters “The Natural” has defeated under the UFC banner, none of them are ranked at 185 pounds and two of them have since been released by the promotion. To be fair, we can’t punish Borralho for how matchmakers Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard book him but he’s still got work to do if he wants to be taken seriously as a middleweight title contender, and that starts with a strong performance this weekend in “Sin City.”
“I think it can go either way (decision or finish),” Borralho said at the UFC Vegas 96 media day. “It just depends on how prepared he is and how much he wants it. At 40 years old, let’s see how much he wants to stay in the position that he is and to go again for the belt and something like that. I think he’s a very experienced guy, very explosive and has power in his hands. He knows how to take the fight where he wants it to go. Definitely an experienced guy. He’s faced a lot of tough opponents. All respect to Jared, but it’s my time now.”
Borralho has just two finishes under the UFC banner.
“I’m prepared — I worked my ass off for this fight, and I think I deserve this victory,” Borralho continued. “Let’s just see how prepared he’s going to come, and see how prepared he comes for me. I’m going to push the pace, I’m going to make the rhythm high at all times and let’s see how he behaves in the fight. It all depends on him and if he came very well-prepared. I’m prepared to knock him out or finish him because I have the ground game, and he doesn’t have that much, so let’s see how Jared comes.”
Cannonier can be a dangerous striker and his success on the feet typically depends on his level of aggression. It also helps that he’s got knockout power, which means Borralho can’t take as many chances on the feet. Fortunately for “The Natural,” he’s got a punishing ground game that is likely to penetrate Cannonier’s mediocre takedown defense. A five-round fight gives “Killa Gorilla” 25 minutes to land the kill shot, assuming he remembers to throw it, but I think Borralho is too smart to silver-platter his chin. In addition, he’s more well rounded on offense and has more ways to win, leading me to believe he catches Cannonier during a transition and finishes what Imavov started.
Prediction: Prediction: Borralho def. Cannonier by technical knockout
115 lbs.: Angela Hill vs. Tabitha Ricci
Angela “Overkill” Hill Record: 17-13 | Age: 39 | Betting line: -110 Wins: 5 KO/TKO, 1 SUB, 11 DEC | Losses: 0 KO/TKO, 2 SUB, 11 DEC Height: 5’3“ | Reach: 64” | Stance: Orthodox Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 5.38 | Striking accuracy: 49% Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 4.86 | Striking Defense: 61% Takedown Average: 0.80 (33% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 76% Current Ranking: No. 9 | Last fight: Submission win over Luana Pinheiro
Angela Hill is a great example of how to have a long and successful career in UFC without ever coming close to a title shot. That said, her recent run — four out of five with a knockout victory over Luana Pinheiro — has put her within striking distance of the Top 5. Hill got her start on Season 20 of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) back in early 2014 and the secret of her success has been activity, as well as reliability. Over the last decade, “Overkill” has never fought less than twice per calendar year and has often competed four times within a 12-month span. Not surprisingly, Hill holds multiple UFC records at strawweight including total fights (24), total wins (11), total strikes landed (2151), and significant strikes landed (1839). She’s also got five post-fight performance bonuses, four of them “Fight of the Night.”
“It’s going to take a lot of convincing for people to really get behind the fact that I could potentially fight for the belt eventually, despite my age or any wins and losses I have in the UFC,” Hill said at the UFC Vegas 96 media day. “It’s all a matter of putting together a strong portfolio in the last couple of years, and I think I’ve been able to do that. I’m just focusing on the fight ahead of me and making sure that every time I’m out there I’m focusing on the present and in the moment, and not thinking too far ahead.”
A victory on Saturday night would give her three straight wins for the first time in four years.
“I’m just hoping I eventually get that shot,” Hill continued. “If I don’t I think I’ll be able to retire pretty happy with what I’ve accomplished, but that’s the main goal, work my way to the top and see what happens. I feel like I can beat anyone, it’s just a matter of coming in with the right mindset, training hard, and being ready that day. I feel like I can do that with anyone, it’s just a matter of putting that on paper and actually showing up and doing what I think I can do.”
Tabitha Ricci migrated to UFC back in early 2021 after five straight wins on the regional circuit, three of which ended by way of knockout or submission. Matchmakers did her no favors in her Octagon debut, pairing Ricci against French “Beast” Manon Fiorot, a fight that sank “Baby Shark” in the second stanza. Undaunted, the Brazilian roared back to win five of her next six, which includes her decision win over Tecia Pennington at UFC St. Louis last May. Standing just 5’1” with a 61” reach, Ricci has to rely on her aggression in most fights, much like former champion Jessica Andrade, and part of her attack includes a punishing wrestling game that averages three takedowns per fight. Hill is a competent wrestler in her own right, but got taken down three times in her loss to Mackenzie Dern and another three times in her defeat opposite Virna Jandiroba. If Ricci can maintain that same pressure — not unreasonable across a three-round contest — Hill could find herself handcuffed for most of the fight.
Prediction: Ricci def. Hill by decision
Don’t forget to check out the rest of the UFC Vegas 96 main card predictions RIGHT HERE.
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vegas 96 fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the ESPN+preliminary card matchups, which are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. ET, followed by the remaining main card balance on ESPN/ESPN+at 10 p.m. ET.
To check out the latest and greatest UFC Vegas 96 news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archives here and here. For the updated and finalized “Cannonier vs. Borralho” fight card and ESPN/ESPN+ lineup click here.
Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight!
Welcome to Midnight Mania!
Retired UFC Lightweight kingpin Khabib Nurmagomedov’s year has been a complicated one. Though his athletes continue to find unprecedented success around the globe, Nurmagomedov was dealt a substantial blow by the Russian government, which froze his bank accounts and seized his collection of luxury cars over a unpaid tax bill totaling $ 3.4 million.
Conor McGregor, naturally, took great joy in his former opponent’s suffering. Regardless, Nurmagomedov paid off the bill just about a week ago, so there will be no need for a UFC comeback or quick boxing match in Riyadh.
Perhaps there’s more to the story? In a recent interview, top-ranked Bellator contender Alexandr Shabliy — who is scheduled to face Bellator Lightweight champion and Khabib trainee Usman Nurmagomedov on Sept. 7 — weighed in on the real reason behind Khabib’s tax issues. The Russian clearly picked his words carefully, but he explained that political disagreements were the root cause of Khabib’s frozen accounts and assets seizure.
“In general, this situation is connected with the fact that it wasn’t just that it turned out that Khabib had some unpaid taxes. This is a situation of counterbalance between the country and Khabib. Khabib did not support the political decisions of the state, and in response, the state — as in response to many bloggers who pursued opposition policies and did not support the government’s position — took such measures. I think that it is no secret that our state has a tough policy and controls the resources that it has.”
Video where Shabliy talks about Khabib tax problems. Basically, he confirms here that it has a political background. I assume it has to do with Khabib’s stance on war. pic.twitter.com/pRZ4sqqaFJ
— BT (@tinasla3) August 22, 2024
What political disagreements? Khabib may be buddy-buddy with Russian president Vladimir Putin, but “The Eagle” has also spoken out against the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In fact, he specifically asked former US President Donald Trump to stop the bloodshed when the two met at a UFC event. Of course, Shabliy didn’t name the war specifically, but it’s hard to imagine a different political disagreement causing the retired champion so many problems.
Even for MMA legends, Russian politics can be a dangerous scene.
Insomnia
Renan Ferreira denies the idea that he was talking trash in reference to Francis Ngannou’s deceased son.
I just want to make something clear. @francisngannou is a great man & i respect him. When i said that i was going to be his biggest
this year i was talking about Anthony Joshua & Tyson Fury, not about his family. I am a father myself
— RenanProblemaMMA (@MmaProblema) August 23, 2024
I’d love to know the backstory here. A friendly embrace capped off by a cheap shot? There has to be some drama involved.
MMA athlete sucker punches opponent after referee raises wrong hand pic.twitter.com/fbRDKoeWMi
— Restricted Vids (@RestrictedVids) August 22, 2024
Dricus Du Plessis remains undefeated in bantering with UFC fighters, current or former.
I would destroy Izzy & DDP @BlockBetGG @block pic.twitter.com/suFA1orvmP
— DT (@darrentill2) August 20, 2024
Yea but you got cut (voluntarily)
— Dricus Du Plessis (@dricusduplessis) August 22, 2024
Jon Jones demonstrates how much he doesn’t care about social media talk by destroying his phone then posting it on social media.
Jon Jones just threw his phone into his swimming pool pic.twitter.com/czBWYlsCUG
— Oscar Willis (@oscarswillis) August 22, 2024
On a related note, Stipe Miocic denies the injury rumors.
pic.twitter.com/UhQO5dK5Yc
— Stipe Miocic (@stipemiocic) August 23, 2024
Weight classes are imaginary.
Former heavyweight and a former featherweight. pic.twitter.com/wse0f9PWTs
— Full Violence ™ (@Full_Violence) August 22, 2024
Every clip I see of Russian TUF seems to confirm it’s a better watch than our version.
In the Russian version of TUF they fight teammates just to keep in shape
[HardcoreFighting/IG] pic.twitter.com/gLJz117PAP
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) August 22, 2024
Muhammad Mokaev wrecked his car but is thankfully okay.
Alhamdulillah I’m well, out from hospital Thank u for the support!❤️
I have been tested on high level at this stage of my career and I will be back stronger InshaAllah! pic.twitter.com/FGmkOALgz5
— Muhammad Mokaev (@muhammadmokaev) August 22, 2024
Slips, rips, and KO clips
Carlos Prates has such a slick style of striking, he makes the most of a really long reach while staying very aggressive.
I need Prates in UFC 5 NOW pic.twitter.com/LNjSFT1UGT
— K.S ⌛️ (@KS_MMA_) August 19, 2024
Name a better uppercut?
The perfect uppercut doesn’t exi.. pic.twitter.com/NpgjutFIi3
— juleslovesboxing (@itsjules007) August 22, 2024
Gerald Meerschaert already was deep into his career by the time he joined the UFC roster, but that didn’t stop “GM3” from picking up a bunch of submissions inside the Octagon!
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Random Land
I should feel bad for the gators but I cannot stop laughing at the idea of chasing off a horde of crocodiles with a shovel.
“Gros ça se passe comment ton nouveau taff ?” Le nouveau taff : pic.twitter.com/Hvau0jxHwq
— Tweetinades (@tintinades) August 21, 2024
Midnight Music: Punk, 1978
Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.
WASHINGTON DC — Francis Ngannou is back in the mixed martial arts (MMA) world.
It’s been a rough but financially fruitful road traveled for Ngannou outside of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The former Heavyweight champion has fought twice in professional boxing matches after he relinquished his title and parted ways with UFC in January 2023. Unfortunately for “The Predator,” the results didn’t come as he hoped, losing both his matches to top pound-for-pound boxers, Tyson Fury (watch highlights) and Anthony Joshua (watch highlights).
Ngannou, 37, finally returns to caged competition when welcomed to Professional Fighters League (PFL) by the 2023 Heavyweight champion, Renan Ferreira, at PFL Super Fights PPV in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Oct. 19, 2024. The banter took a surprisingly dark turn when Ferreira made a controversial comment that alluded to the death of Ngannou’s 15-month-old son.
“Francis has been going through a tough year in his life, but the toughest challenge in his life and his year is gonna be me,” Ferreira said at the PFL Super Fights PPV pre-fight press conference. “I’m gonna be the biggest problem of his year.”
Several Brazilian fighters have come out to say there was a lapse in translation from the interpreter, or at least believe that it wasn’t meant in the way it was stated.
The fight will be Ngannou’s first in MMA since he successfully defended his title by unanimous decision against Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 in January 2022. The 6-foot-8 Ferreira, 24, has fought eight times since then, going 5-1 and 2 no contests (13-3, 3 no contests overall) with a PFL title among the victories.
UPDATE: Ferreira has since clarified his comments.
“I just want to make something clear,” Ferreira tweeted. “@francisngannou is a great man & i respect him. When i said that i was going to be his biggest this year i was talking about Anthony Joshua & Tyson Fury, not about his family. I am a father myself.”
Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
“I’m ready to go, lad.”
Jon Jones is supposed to be fighting Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 in November.
So why hasn’t the promotion made the fight official? We’re less than three months until the Nov. 16 pay-per-view (PPV) card pops off inside Madison Square Garden in New York City, but Dana White and Co. have maintained radio silence over its heavyweight headliner.
Interim champion, Tom Aspinall, is hearing rumors about a potential injury.
“I’m hearing rumors that Stipe is potentially injured,” Aspinall told fans on YouTube. “This is stuff I’m hearing from inner circles. Stipe, I believe his birthday was yesterday, actually, he’s 42 years old. The guy is gonna be injury prone. Jon Jones, million miles on the clock, he’s gonna be injury prone. Me, I’m ready to go, lad. I’m not even in my prime yet. I’m hungry for it. I’m not sure these two guys are, but I am. I’ll fight either of them for the undisputed title on any notice. I’m ready.”
Jones is returning from a year-long injury setback after tearing his pectoral muscle.
During his absence, Aspinall won the substitute strap by stopping Russian bruiser Sergei Pavlovich, then defended the belt with an emphatic victory over Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 in London. That led to multiple callouts of “Bones” which to date, have been ignored.
Hopefully Miocic can clear the air (or confirm the injury) sooner, rather than later.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is making its return to Canada on Sat., Nov. 2, 2024, with the UFC Edmonton mixed martial arts (MMA) event at Rogers Place. Headlining the ESPN+ fight card is the flyweight showdown pitting No. 3-ranked Erin Blanchfield against No. 5-ranked Rose Namajunas, with the winner moving within striking distance of a 125-pound title shot (behind Manon Fiorot).
Blanchfield is currently a slight betting favorite at -120 against +100 for the underdog Namajunas. That’s according to our fiscal friends over at BetOnline.ag, who also pegged heavyweight hurter Derrick Lewis as the +120 underdog for his co-main event opposite undefeated Brazilian bruiser Jhonata Diniz (-140).
In addition, Rodrigo Nascimento (-145) is favored to beat Alexandr Romanov (+125).
“I think [Namajunas] is better at 115,” Blanchfield previously told The MMA Hour. ”I think just moving up a weight class ten pounds like 115 to 125, it’s a big percentage of your body weight especially when you’re that small. She won against [Amanda] Ribas, but Ribas is also someone who’s fought at 115. She’s not that big of a girl. She had the one fight against Manon and she lost that. I think she’s a great fighter. I think he’s got a lot of skill, but I think she’s going to be a little outsized at 125.”
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