Category Archives: Mmamania.com

UFC CEO Dana White just got done telling the media that he “stopped paying attention to Jake Paul” and “doesn’t even think about him anymore.” White also claims he was too busy vacationing in Italy to worry about Paul’s pay-per-view (PPV) fight against former UFC welterweight Mike Perry.

Read those comments here.

For someone who abandoned the Jake Paul Business, White certainly knows a lot about what happened when “El Gallo” tarnished “Platinum” last month in Miami, a fight that “didn’t sell any f***ing PPVs.” Or maybe White is overlooking the fact that most of Paul’s exploits have been a commercial for this controversial cash grab.

I guess we can rule out that crossover fight against UFC champ Alex Pereira.

“He calls people out for attention,” White told Full Send Podcast. “Alex is a superstar right now. So Jake calls him out and Jake gets press. [Pereira] sells 400 times the f***ing PPVs. The Jake Paul fight that just happened didn’t sell any f***ing PPVs. They don’t sell. I’ll give him this: it’s fascinating they keep getting new deals done with these guys that gotta be getting f***ed.”

Paul’s anemic box office returns have kept him from this former UFC champ.

Regardless of what Paul has been able to sell or not sell, his Mike Tyson fight in November is expected to return beaucoup bucks for all parties involved, primarily because of Tyson’s brand value. That may be one of many reasons why White is miffed over the “ridiculous” attempt to capitalize on the “Iron” boxing legend.

It appears not even the MAGA bond can bring these two together.

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It doesn’t sound like the UFC is willing to walk back their decision to let flyweight contender Mokaev walk.

Dana White is not bring Muhammad Mokaev back into the UFC, not even for a free fight.

Mokaev made the unusual offer of fighting for free after it became clear the UFC was serious about not re-signing him after his contract ended at UFC 304. The young flyweight contender had spent the week brawling with opponent Manel Kape all over Manchester. But when it became time to actually fight in the cage, Mokaev used his wrestling to neutralize Kape for 15 uneventful minutes.

Following the event, UFC CEO Dana White said Mokaev was welcome to go sign with the PFL, as the UFC wasn’t interested in dealing with him any more. And following last night’s return of the Contender Series, White confirmed there’d be no change in those plans.

“Nobody’s gonna fight for free,” White said of Mokaev’s hail mary offer. “People can talk all the s— they want about how we pay, but nobody’s fighting free.”

“It is what it is,” he continued. “I always say this: this is an opportunity to be here and to perform in front of the entire world. And [Mokaev] is just a guy that did everything wrong and pissed these guys off.”

“I wasn’t involved in any of the stuff that happened with him, but the matchmakers and Hunter [Campbell] were. And they weren’t happy with him. They weren’t happy with the way he acted. They weren’t happy with a lot of things he did and said.”

“I guess you can look back now and regret it,” White concluded. “But you did it. You did it, and you put yourself in this position.”

Mokaev leaves the UFC with a perfect 7-0 record. It’s unclear at this moment where he’ll go next, but one thing is for sure: it won’t be to the PFL.

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Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight!

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

Somebody might want to check in on Michael Chandler, because Conor McGregor’s extended UFC absence has no end in sight.

After Tuesday’s (Aug. 13, 2024) episode of Contenders Series (full results here), UFC CEO Dana White addressed the media and took questions. When asked about a potential McGregor booking, White revealed that the two had spoken but wasn’t optimistic about the Irish talent fighting in 2024.

“We talked,” White admitted. “We didn’t meet up but we talked. He wants to fight, so we’ll figure it out … not this year, he won’t fight this year.”

It’s a major bummer that the sport’s biggest star continues to stay sidelined, but why? Last we heard, McGregor was hoping for a quick return after pulling out of UFC 303. He only broke his pinky toe, so there’s no medical explanation for why McGregor should be sat for AT LEAST four more months.

Maybe Hollywood came calling again?

Here’s an alternative theory: UFC’s contract with ESPN runs up early next year. The promotion is about to enter negotiations, and having a McGregor pay-per-view on deck could equal serious leverage moving forward … Or perhaps Conor McGregor just continues this song and dance forever and never actually fights again.

There’s no option but to wait and see.

Insomnia

Muay Thai in the flow state:

Looking over this card, I would rate it better than the usual Apex card. Hopefully it doesn’t lose many fights in the next few weeks …

Shakur Stevenson fights are generally not known for their excitement, but good defense highlights are always impressive to me.

Denis Tiuliulin’s loss to Sedrique Dumas at UFC Vegas 95 sees him released from the roster.

Sadly, we will not get any Tito Ortiz-esque Councilman BJ Penn stories.

Should we feel bad for fake martial arts masters high on their own supply?

Robert Whittaker providing some very interesting insight in Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya:

Slips, rips, and KO clips

When I talk about punishing takedown attempts in my preview articles, THIS is what I’m talking about!

A wild clip of UFC’s latest Flyweight pick up:

Wild knockouts for any division, let alone 115-pounds.

Random Land

I don’t mean to kink shame, but uhhh … what’s going on here?

Midnight Music: Indie, 2022

Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.

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It’s that time of year again!

Contender Series is back with 10 straight weeks of mixed martial arts (MMA) action. This week’s show starts at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+ for the first two weeks (because of The Ultimate Fighter 32 final episodes), and then things switch back to the usual 8 p.m. ET time slot moving forward.

In the main event, undefeated powerhouse Mansur Abdul Malik (5-0) takes on fellow finisher Wes Schultz (6-1) in a Middleweight matchup. The rest of the card is filled with fun fights as Rami Hamed (12-3) steps up on short notice to fight knockout artist Meng Ding (34-8) in the co-main event. Light Heavyweight sluggers Bruno Lopes (12-1) and Mikheil Sazhiniani (13-2) collide in the featured bout. Jose Delgado (7-1) takes on Ernie Juarez (8-0) in a Featherweight bout. And finally, two of the best Flyweight prospects in the world kick off season eight as An Ho (6-0) takes on England’s Lone’er Kavanagh (6-0).

‘Contender Series’ Quick Results:

Mansur Abdul-Malik defeats Wes Schultz via TKO, Round 2 – 3:55
Rami Hamed defeats Meng Ding via unanimous decision (30-26, 29-27, 29-27)
Bruno Lopes defeats Mikheil Sazhiniani via TKO (punches) Round 2, 4:14
Jose Delgado defeats Ernie Juarez via knockout (knee) Round 2, 1:25
Lone’er Kavanagh defeats An Ho via knockout (punch) Round 1, 2:35

‘Contender Series’ Highlights & Results:

185 lbs: Mansur Abdul-Malik defeats Wes Schultz via TKO

170 lbs: Rami Hamed defeats Meng Ding via unanimous decision

205 lbs: Bruno Lopes defeats Mikheil Sazhiniani via TKO (punches)

145 lbs: Jose Delgado defeats Ernie Juarez via knockout (knee)

125 lbs: Lone’er Kavanagh defeats An Ho via knockout (punch)

For more Contender Series news and notes, be sure to hit up our comprehensive archive right here.

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Former PFL middleweight Joilton Lutterbach was using performance-enhancing drugs before getting the call to compete against Shara Magomedov as part of the UFC Saudi Arabia fight card last June in Riyadh. The 31 year-old “Peregrino” failed to alert the promotion of his prior steroid use, then flunked his pre-fight drug test administered by Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD).

The result was a two-year suspension and pink slip from UFC.

Lutterbach (38-9, 1 NC) tested positive for 3a-Hydroxy-2a-methyl-5a-androstan-17-one, a metabolite of drostanolone (an anabolic steroid), forcing the promotion to pivot and book Magomedov against Brazilian bruiser Antonio Trocoli. “Shara Bullet” went on to win the contest by way of third-round technical knockout, then made a quick turnaround for the UFC on ABC card earlier this month in Abu Dhabi.

Magomedov defeated Michal Oleksiejczuk by unanimous decision.

“Thank you for all the messages of affection during this difficult time, I actually used juice three months ago and had no idea that I would sign with UFC,” Lutterbach wrote on social media. “I could have hidden in the mountains or gone to Thailand to hide as many do and are not tested, but I preferred to take the risk and believe I was clean and fit to fight.”

Lutterbach will be eligible to return on June 23, 2026.

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) updated its official rankings in the wake of the UFC Vegas 95 mixed martial arts (MMA) event, which took place last weekend at the promotion’s APEX facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. Heavyweight bruiser Serghei Spivac was the big winner of the night, capturing a submission win over longtime rival Marcin Tybura. The victory not only avenged a previous loss to “Tybur” but also sent “The Polar Bear” into a tie with former champion Stipe Miocic on the 265-pound ladder.

Here’s how UFC compiles its official rankings:

Rankings were generated by a voting panel made up of media members. The media members were asked to vote for who they feel are the top fighters in the UFC by weight-class and pound-for-pound. A fighter is only eligible to be voted on if they are in active status in the UFC. A fighter can appear in more than one weight division at a time. The champion and interim champion are considered to be in the top positions of their respective divisions and therefore are not eligible for voting by weight-class. However, the champions can be voted on for the pound-for-pound rankings.

Take a look at what the latest rankings field looks like courtesy of UFC.com. Note: (+/- = movement in rankings, T = tie, *NR = Not previously ranked).

MEN’S POUND-FOR-POUND

1. Islam Makhachev
2. Alex Pereira
3. Jon Jones
4. Ilia Topuria
5. Belal Muhammad
6. Sean O’Malley
7. Leon Edwards
8. Alexander Volkanovski
9. Tom Aspinall
10. Max Holloway
11. Dricus Du Plessis
12. Alexandre Pantoja
13. Israel Adesanya
14. Charles Oliveira +1
15. Sean Strickland -1

FLYWEIGHT

Champion: Alexandre Pantoja

1. Brandon Royval
2. Brandon Moreno
3. Amir Albazi
4. Kai Kara France
5. Tatsuro Taira
6. Alex Perez
7. Steve Erceg
8. Matheus Nicolau
9. Manel Kape
10. Tim Elliott
11. Matt Schnell
12. Tagir Ulanbekov
13. Bruno Silva
14. Asu Almabayev
15. Cody Durden

BANTAMWEIGHT

Champion: Sean O’Malley

1. Merab Dvalishvili
2. Umar Nurmagomedov
3. Petr Yan
4. Cory Sandhagen
5. Deiveson Figueiredo
6. Henry Cejudo
7. Marlon Vera
8. Song Yadong
9. Jose Aldo
10. Rob Font
11. Kyler Phillips
12. Mario Bautista -1
13. Dominick Cruz
14. Jonathan Martinez
15. Montel Jackson

FEATHERWEIGHT

Champion: Ilia Topuria

1. Alexander Volkanovski
2. Max Holloway
3. Brian Ortega
4. Yair Rodriguez
5. Arnold Allen
6. Movsar Evloev
7. Josh Emmett
8. Aljamain Sterling
9. Calvin Kattar
10. Giga Chikadze
11. Lerone Murphy
12. (T) Diego Lopes
12. (T) Bryce Mitchell
14. Dan Ige
15. Edson Barboza

LIGHTWEIGHT

Champion: Islam Makhachev

1. Arman Tsarukyan
2. Charles Oliveira
3. Justin Gaethje
4. Dustin Poirier
5. Mateusz Gamrot
6. Michael Chandler
7. Beneil Dariush
8. Rafael Fiziev
9. Max Holloway
10. Renato Moicano
11. Dan Hooker
12. Benoit Saint-Denis
13. Rafael dos Anjos
14. Jalin Turner
15. Paddy Pimblett

WELTERWEIGHT

Champion: Belal Muhammed

1. Leon Edwards
2. Kamaru Usman
3. Shavkat Rakhmonov
4. Colby Covington
5. Jack Della Maddalena
6. Gilbert Burns
7. Ian Machado Garry
8. Sean Brady
9. Stephen Thompson
10. Geoff Neal
11. Joaquin Buckley
12. Neil Magny
13. Vicente Luque
14. Michael Page
15. Kevin Holland

MIDDLEWEIGHT

Champion: Dricus Du Plessis

1. Sean Strickland
2. Israel Adesanya
3. Robert Whittaker
4. Nassourdine Imavov
5. Jared Cannonier
6. Marvin Vettori
7. Brendan Allen
8. Paulo Costa
9. Jack Hermansson
10. Roman Dolidze
11. Khamzat Chimaev
12. Caio Borralho
13. Michel Pereira
14. Anthony Hernandez
15. Chris Curtis

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT

Champion: Alex Pereira

1. Jiri Prochazka
2. Magomed Ankalaev
3. Jamahal Hill
4. Jan Blachowicz
5. Aleksandar Rakic
6. Nikita Krylov
7. Volkan Oezdemir -1
8. Khalil Rountree
9. Johnny Walker
10. Carlos Ulberg
11. Azamat Murzakanov
12. Anthony Smith
13. Dominick Reyes +1
14. Bogdan Guskov -1
15. Roman Dolidze

HEAVYWEIGHT

Champion: Jon Jones

1. Tom Aspinall
2. Ciryl Gane
3. Alexander Volkov
4. Sergei Pavlovich
5. Curtis Blaydes
6. Jailton Almeida +1
7. (T) Stipe Miocic -1
7. (T) Serghei Spivac +2
9. Marcin Tybura -1
10. Tai Tuivasa
11. Derrick Lewis
12. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
13. Alexandr Romanov
14. Marcos Rogerio De Lima
15. Rodrigo Nascimento

WOMEN’S POUND-FOR-POUND

1. Alexa Grasso
2. Zhang Weili
3. Valentina Shevchenko
4. Manon Fiorot
5. (T) Julianna Pena
5. (T) Raquel Pennington
7. Rose Namajunas
8. Erin Blanchfield
9. Tatiana Suarez
10. Yan Xiaonan
11. Jessica Andrade
12. Kayla Harrison
13. Virna Jandiroba
14. Ketlen Vieira
15. Amanda Lemos

WOMEN’S STRAWWEIGHT

Champion: Zhang Weili

1. Tatiana Suarez
2. Yan Xiaonan
3. Virna Jandiroba
4. Jessica Andrade
5. Amanda Lemos
6. Marina Rodriguez
7. Amanda Ribas
8. Mackenzie Dern
9. Angela Hill
10. Loopy Godinez
11. Tabatha Ricci
12. Luana Pinheiro
13. Gillian Robertson
14. Iasmin Lucindo
15. Karolina Kowalkiewicz

WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT

Champion: Alexa Grasso

1. Valentina Shevchenko
2. Manon Fiorot
3. Erin Blanchfield
4. Maycee Barber
5. Rose Namajunas
6. Jessica Andrade
7. Katlyn Cerminara
8. Natalia Silva
9. Viviane Araújo
10. Amanda Ribas
11. Karine Silva
12. Tracy Cortez
13. Ariane Da Silva
14. Jasmine Jasudavicius
15. Casey O’Neill

WOMEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT

Champion: Raquel Pennington

1. Julianna Pena
2. Ketlen Vieira
3. Kayla Harrison
4. Macy Chiasson +1
5. Irene Aldana -1
6. Mayra Bueno Silva
7. Holly Holm
8. (T) Karol Rosa
8. (T) Norma Dumont
10. Yana Santos +2
11. Miesha Tate -3
12. Pannie Kianzad -1
13. Julia Avila
14. Germaine De Randamie +1
15. Chelsea Chandler -1

You can expect these rankings to change around this time next week, particularly in the middleweight division, following the UFC 305: “Du Plessis vs. Adesanya” pay-per-view (PPV) event on ESPN+, scheduled for Sat., Aug. 17, 2024 at RAC Center in Perth, Western Australia.

For much more on that upcoming fight card click here.

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Contender Series is back!

Season 8 kicks off later TONIGHT (Tues., Aug. 13, 2024) from inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, and it is loaded with top mixed martial arts (MMA) talent. Freak athlete, Mansur Abdul-Malik, takes on fellow finisher, Wesley Schultz, in the main event. Meanwhile, in the first fight of the night, viral knockout artist, An Ho, fights top Flyweight prospect, Lone’er Kavanagh.

Before the next crop of Ultimate Fighting Champion (UFC) fighters get their contracts, MMAmania.com will highlight the best fighter from each of the previous seven seasons.

Annnnnd here we go!

Sean O’Malley

Season One (Jul. 11 – Aug. 29, 2017)

This season is an absolute no-brainer: Sean O’Malley. There is an argument that he is the biggest and best fighter to come off the show, and it feels like UFC CEO, Dana White, has been looking for his next O’Malley ever since.

O’Malley knocked out Alfred Khashakyan in the first round and yelled, “Welcome To The Sugar Show,” which had everyone turning their heads. Oh, and Snoop Dog lost his mind over the knockout.

O’Malley eventually captured UFC’s Bantamweight crown with a knockout over Aljamain Sterling (watch highlights) and has defended it once against his rival, Marlon Vera. O’Malley boasts 8.4 million followers across all social media — eighth most of all fighters on UFC’s roster.

Honorable mentions: Alex Perez, Dan Ige (Ige wasn’t awarded a contract on the show, but fought on short notice at UFC 220).

Photo by Jeff Bottari/DWTNCS LLC

Kevin Holland

Season Two (Jun. 12 – Aug. 7, 2018)

Season two of Contender Series had a ton of great options. From Maycee Barber to Anthony Hernandez to Sodiq Yusuff to Jalin Turner. However, I think Kevin Holland — who wasn’t even awarded a contract on the show because he pissed off White (shocker) — is the best fighter to come out of season two. Holland eventually made his Octagon debut against Thiago Santos on short notice up a weight class … and lost. He rattled off three wins shortly thereafter before losing a second time to Brendan Allen.

But, it was in 2020 that he really made an impact.

During UFC’s COVID-19 pandemic lockdown era — where every single fight was held inside UFC Apex (or Fight Island), Holland competed five times and won all of them, capping off a tremendous year by knocking out Jacare Souza (see it).

His big 2020 would get him two back-to-back main events in 2021, both of which he lost, but he became a fan favorite because of his attitude of fighting anyone, anywhere, in any weight class.

Honorable mentions: Barber, Chris Curtis

Photo by Chris Unger/DWCS LLC

Jamahal Hill

Season Three (Jun. 18 – Aug. 20, 2019)

The first Contender Series fighter to hold UFC gold came in season three, week five: Jamahal Hill. Hill’s first three UFC fights were pretty forgettable, that was, until Paul Craig dislocated “Sweat Dreams” elbow, handing Hill his first professional loss (see it). After that, Hill knocked out highly touted prospect, Jimmy Crute, which scored him his first UFC main event against Johnny Walker (Hill scored a meme knockout).

Hill got another main event against former Light Heavyweight title challenger, Thiago Santos, and then had the best timing ever because he stepped right into a vacant title shot against Glover Teixeira.

“Sweat Dreams” won a dominant unanimous decision to accomplish his goal. He was never be able to defend his title, though, tearing his Achilles and vacating the belt.

Hill will be a staple of the Light Heavyweight division for as long as he fights.

Honorable mentions: Brendan Loughnane, Brendan Allen

Photo by Jeff Bottari/DWCS LLC/Zuffa LLC

Impa Kasanganay

Season Four (Aug. 4. – Sept. 1, 2020)

Season four of Contender Series took place during the global pandemic, which devastated the regional mixed martial arts (MMA) scene.

The best fighter to come off of season four is Impa Kasanganay … and I’ll explain the reason(s). Kasanganay did not have the best UFC run, going 2-2 and got virally knocked out by Joaquin Buckley (it was so good). However, Kasangnay had a fantastic career outside UFC with Professional Fighters League (PFL).

Indeed, in 2023 “Tshilobo” fought his way into PFL by competing on its Challengers show. He went on to win the Light Heavyweight championship and a $ 1 million payday and is on his way to repeat as defending champion.

Oh, and a fun fact: Kasaganay competed in season three, but didn’t nab a contract.

Honorable mentions: Adrian Yanez, Carlos Ulberg

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Jack Della Maddalena

Season Five (Aug. 31. – Nov. 2, 2020)

Season five of Contenders Series was by far the hardest 10 weeks to pick a clear winner; in fact, I’ve changed my mind several times. At the end of the day, Jack Della Maddalena is the best fighter from the fifth season.

“JDM” is undefeated inside the Octagon, holding a perfect (7-0) record with the promotion. He has raked in five “Performance of the Night” bonuses and has the best win of anyone from season five: he stopped former Welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns (with a broken arm).

Della Maddalena is currently ranked No. 5 in UFC’s Welterweight Top 15 and has placed himself in a position where he is one or two fights away from a title shot.

Honorable mentions: Diego Lopes, Caio Borralho

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Bo Nickal

Season Six (Jul. 26. – Sept. 27, 2021)

Bo Nickal has only three UFC fights and is perfect (6-0) as a professional; however, his potential has him as the best fight to some off the sixth season of Contender Series.

Nickal is a three-time NCAA Division I national wrestling champion, making him one of the best college wrestlers to compete in MMA. The scary thing is he hasn’t really used his wrestling at all thus far in his career.

He is knocking people out.

We have yet to see him fight a Top 15-seeded Middleweight, but it isn’t like he is turning them down, either. Indeed, Nickal is getting Dana White and Co.’s slow build.

Honorable mentions: Raul Rosas Jr., Joe Pyfer

Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Jean Silva

Season Seven (Aug. 8. – Oct. 10, 2023)

One year is definitely challenging to gauge someone; however, Jean Silva has made a big impact already and has had great wins. “Lord” made a statement in his UFC debut, stopping Westin Wilson in the first round (watch it); however, his next two fights put him on everyone’s radar.

He knocked out Charles Jourdain at UFC 303 during “International Fight Week” and then turned around and finished the always-durable, Drew Dober, at UFC Denver while he was up a weight class.

Time will tell how good Silva really is, but as of now, he is the best fight from season seven.

Honorable mentions: Payton Talbott, Hyder Amil

For complete Contender Series news and notes checkout our comprehensive archive here.

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Israel Adesanya is back.

UFC 305 marks the first time the former two-time Middleweight champion steps into the Octagon since he lost his title to Sean Strickland via an upset unanimous decision at UFC 293 in September 2023 (watch highlights). In his return, Adesanya challenges his rival, the champion, Dricus du Plessis, this weekend (Sat., Aug. 17, 2024).

Overall, it’s been a refreshing experience for “The Last Stylebender,” who expects to put on a vintage performance against South Africa’s finest.

“This is the longest layoff in my whole fighting career,” Adesanya told Stake. “I kind of got forced into taking a break because my body needed it. Not because of the fights, but the training camps. My mind, body, and spirit needed it, and I’m glad I got the break I needed and reset myself, reaffirm myself.

“My team is everything you need,” he continued. “I’m a friendly guy and a lot of the people I connect with feel like they’ve known me for years, but my team are the ones who will always be around me because they understand me. I’ve been here before, I’ve lost before and I know how things change, so for me, the defeat didn’t shake me. You watch this, in 10 days, I’m going to smoke this fool. I’ve been here before, but I’ll play the game a little differently this time.”

Adesanya’s last win has aged exceptionally well. In the pair’s fourth overall combat sports clash, Adesanya snapped Alex Pereira’s three-fight winning streak over him with a devastating second round knockout to reclaim his title at UFC 287 in April 2023 (watch highlights).

At this point, the 35-year-old isn’t concerned about the potential history he can make by joining Randy Couture as the only three-time UFC champion. Ultimately, he just wants to prove he’s still got it.

“It’s not so much about the belt,” Adesanya said. “For me, it’s when people doubt my skills after what I’ve done in this game and the classics that I’ve made. The main driving force is for me proving to myself that I am still me, I am still Israel Adesanya, and what drives me is proving me, to me.”

To check out the latest UFC 305 fight card and rumors click here.

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As expected, the argument over African heritage has become a talking point ahead of the upcoming UFC 305 pay-per-view (PPV) main event this weekend in Perth, where Dricus Du Plessis defends his 185-pound strap against former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya.

Du Plessis, who hails from South Africa, ruffled a few feathers by suggesting he would become the first UFC champion to be born, raised, and still-residing in Africa, unlike Adesanya — who alongside Kamaru Usman and Francis Ngannou — relocated to other parts of the world.

“I want him to take accountability for his remarks,” Adesanya told TMZ Sports. “Abdul Razak [Alhassan] said it before his fight about three weeks ago, saying, ‘I respect Dricus, but he’s a b*tch for what he said.’ He’s a b*tch. Because Dricus is saying, ‘I trained in Africa, I do this in Africa,’ and people like Razak and myself who are forced to flee our own country because of a better opportunity, he’ll never understand that because he lives behind the f*cking gates of his privileged life in South Africa, and he’s able to do that there.”

Based on this video, it appears Du Plessis has the unconditional support of South African fight fans.

“So, someone like Francis [Ngannou], who had to cross the desert to go overseas to go train,” Adesanya continued. “If you know Francis’ story, you can’t call him not a real African champion because he didn’t train in Africa. Like, bro. Are you f*cking kidding? The guy got sent back out to the desert six, seven times to go die, and he survived.”

Don’t expect UFC CEO Dana White to get involved in this debate.

“Even without Francis being champion, without myself being champion, without Kamaru being champion, he would have never been champion,” Adesanya said. “We paved the way for him, and then he comes out there and tries to take it all for himself. What kind of mindset is it that you see three African champions and you’re going to be the fourth one? That’s a colonist mindset. He doesn’t understand the error of his ways, but I will show him the way. He will always be an African champion, but he’ll never be one of the three kings.”

Adesanya, Usman, and Ngannou were dubbed the “Three Kings” of UFC after holding championship titles at the same time, even though “The Last Stylebender” and “The Nigerian Nightmare” failed to “sack up” when “The Predator” went to war with UFC.

To see who else is fighting at UFC 305 this weekend in Perth click here.

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Note: Date and start times reflect stateside broadcast commitments on ESPN. Fans attending UFC 305: “Du Plessis vs. Adesanya” in person at RAC Arena should plan for a Sunday morning start time (Aug. 18) with early Prelims beginning at 6:30 a.m. AWST, continued with late Prelims at 8 a.m. AWST, followed by the UFC 305 Main Card lineup at 10 a.m. AWST (times subject to change). 

Event: UFC 305 “Du Plessis vs. Adesanya”
Date: Sat., Aug. 17, 2024
Location: RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia
Start times: ESPN+ PPV, ESPN, ESPN+ (6:30 p.m. ET Prelims | 10 p.m. ET Main Card)

UFC 305 Main Event On ESPN+ PPV:

185 lbs.: UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya

UFC 305 Main Card On ESPN+ PPV (10 p.m. ET):

125 lbs.: Kai Kara-France vs. Steve Erceg
155 lbs.: Mateusz Gamrot vs. Dan Hooker
265 lbs.: Tai Tuivasa vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
170 lbs.: Jingliang Li vs. Carlos Prates

UFC 305 Prelims Card On ESPN/ESPN+ (8 p.m. ET):

265 lbs.: Junior Tafa vs. Valter Walker
145 lbs.: Josh Culibao vs. Ricardo Ramos
125 lbs.: Casey O’Neill vs. Luana Santos
145 lbs.: Jack Jenkins vs. Herbert Burns

UFC 305 Early Prelims Card On ESPN+ (6:30 p.m. ET):

155 lbs.: Tom Nolan vs. Alex Reyes
170 lbs.: Song Kenan vs. Ricky Glenn
125 lbs.: Stewart Nicoll vs. Jesus Aguilar

*Fight card, bout order and number of fights remain subject to change.*

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