Category Archives: Mmamania.com

Mariya Agapova could really use a fight.

The last handful of years have not been kind to the once-bright Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Flyweight prospect. Agapova, 27, recently made a public call to action, needing to fight as soon as possible thanks to her inability to get a job.

The trouble didn’t end there for Agapova as shortly after she further explained the depth of what she’s gone through. Whether homeless, sex slavery, or other struggles, Agapova is doing whatever she can to get by outside the Octagon. When asked about her hobbies or ways she keeps busy when not training or fighting, Agapova detailed her unique adventures as a tattoo artist in the embedded player above.

“I do tattoos at hotel, trap houses,” Agapova said backstage at Karate Combat (h/t Reddit). “I used to do it in the tattoo shop.

“Trap house, it’s … you know, it’s okay. Like, my clients, you like pass out, fall in the bathroom,” she continued. “I hold on [to them], let’s go. He passed out and I just tattoo him [while] he passed out. Yeah, I also know how to save people from overdose.”

The term “trap house” is slang for a drug den or vacant space where illegal drugs and things of that nature are shared and sold. Agapova was alleged to have been kicked out of American Top Team (ATT) in Coconut Creek, Florida for drug use and violent threats in 2021. She denied the accusations before losing a fight to her accuser, Maryna Moroz, via second round arm triangle choke in March 2022 (watch highlights).

Agapova’s last UFC fight came against Gillian Robertson, who defeated her via second round rear-naked choke in September 2022 (watch highlights).

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Sean Strickland thinks BKFC is “trash.”

In what may or may not be a direct response to that critique, bareknuckle bad boy Mike Perry — fresh off his knockout win over Thiago Alves at BKFC: “KnuckleMania 4” — dropped a $ 50,000 bet on Paulo Costa, who fights Strickland in the UFC 302 pay-per-view (PPV) co-main event this Sat. night (June 1, 2024) at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.

Costa is currently a +195 underdog.

“Paulo Costa said he’s coming to put a beating onto Sean Strickland this weekend,” Perry told his Instagram followers. “I’m rocking with that Brazilian power. ‘Borrachinha’ in the building! I think he has more tools in MMA to get the job done. Let’s go Paulo, show him what I’m talking about.”

A victory for “The Eraser” returns $ 140,000.

Perry is no stranger to mouthy UFC middleweights. Former division titleholder, Luke Rockhold, went head-to-head with “Platinum” at BKFC 41 in Denver and got his teeth rearranged for his efforts. The 32 year-old Perry is now 5-0 in bareknuckle boxing with three blistering knockouts.

For the rest of the UFC 302 fight card and PPV lineup click here.

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight contenders, Sean Strickland vs. Paulo Costa, will collide this weekend (Sat., June 1, 2024) at UFC 302 inside Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

Less than a year ago, Strickland did the impossible, escaping UFC Apex to dethrone Israel Adesanya … on short-notice circumstances. He became a star over night — in a weird, Strickland-y sort of way — but lost his title almost immediately. Fortunately, with a victory here, Strickland is back in the mix, lined up nicely for huge rematches with either Adesanya or Du Plessis.

Costa, meanwhile, put on his best performance in recent memory against Robert Whittaker, but it wasn’t enough to defeat the veteran Aussie. It’s good to see the Brazilian fighting more actively after negotiating a new contract, but Costa has to get back in the win column if he’s to remain atop Middleweight.

Let’s take a closer look at the betting odds and strategic keys for each athlete:

Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

Strickland vs. Costa Betting Odds

• Sean Strickland victory: -260
• Sean Strickland via TKO/KO/DQ: +150
• Sean Strickland via submission: +1200
• Sean Strickland via decision: +200
• Paulo Costa victory: +185
• Paulo Costa via TKO/KO/DQ: +300
• Paulo Costa via submission: +2500
• Paulo Costa via decision: +800
• Draw: +5000
• Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

How Strickland Wins

Strickland is one of the best defensive fighters in the sport, the rare mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter truly comfortable standing in the pocket and parrying off shots. He combines that comfort with a high work rate and sharp jab, though Strickland has faced criticism for failing to build beyond those tools.

In this match up, Strickland has to ensure the jab is the difference maker. Nobody is wrestling here — it’ll be a kickboxing match. If Strickland cannot establish his jab, he’s going to end up stuck on the fence, eating body shots — not a fun place to be against “Borrachinha.”

Fortunately, Costa’s face tends to be a magnet for jabs. Between his jabs and teeps, Strickland should be able to make pressuring difficult. As soon as Costa is a bit more hesitant to step forward, Strickland can look to take the initiative himself and start moving Costa backward. If Strickland really wants to make a statement and leapfrog the Khamzat vs. Whittaker winner, he may also want to start following that jab with his right hand.

How Costa Wins

Costa is a marauder. He’s best known for bullying his opponents, herding them to the fence with kicks and combinations then unleashing toward the mid-section. He’s fully capable of tanking his foe’s counter fire, and in his last bout, Costa showed an improved jab.

Costa did some good things against Whittaker, most notably that fast snappy jab. However, he made a tactical error, trying to out-slick the former champion at distance rather than pressure. It nearly resulted in the wheel kick knockout, but over time, Whittaker proved himself superior in that range.

To defeat Strickland, Costa has to add his new tools into his old gameplan. He’s not going to outbox Strickland in the open, but a fast jab can help him maneuver Strickland toward the fence. That will always be where Costa is most dangerous, and he stands his best shot at breaking through Strickland’s defenses there.

Body work is a huge aspect of Costa’s game, and it should absolutely be a huge focus here. Dricus Du Plessis did a great job of kicking through Strickland’s defenses — Strickland was feeling those blocked and checked kicks, and it wore him down. Costa can do the same with his powerful kicking game, but he can expand upon the attritional damage with lots of rib roasting hooks.

Strickland vs. Costa Prediction

I see almost zero chance this fight doesn’t end up a very competitive, 25-minute fight. That’s historically what happens when you pair Strickland up with a more powerful, but less pretty striker (like Jared Cannonier and Du Plessis). Strickland is good enough to win exchanges, but he’s also the smaller puncher, which can be a hard sell for the judges.

At this point, we know exceedingly well what Strickland brings to the table and shouldn’t expect much different. The question is whether Costa can put it all together? Between his body work, volume and athleticism, “Borrachinha” has all the tools necessary to win rounds and shift the damage in his favor.

Betting on a smart showing from Costa is a gamble to say the least, but I think he’s moving in the right direction. Strickland isn’t nearly as mobile as Whittaker — or as good generally — meaning Costa will be more easily able to find the pocket and let his combinations fly.

Prediction: Costa via decision (+800)

Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 302 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6:15 p.m. ET (simulcast on ESPN2 at 8 p.m. ET), before the pay-per-view (PPV) main card start time at 10 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+).

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 302: “Makhachev vs. Poirier” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.

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

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

Islam Makhachev might be the strongest man at 155-pounds.

The lifelong wrestler manhandles top-notch opponents with relative ease more often than not, and that dominance has raised some eye brows. Notably, former opponent and longtime UFC veteran Bobby Green was adamant that Makhachev was using performance enhancing drugs (PEDs). Another past opponent, Dan Hooker, repeatedly accused Makhachev of using IVs to rehydrate, a strategy which can also mask PED usage.

It doesn’t help Makhachev’s reputation that he had a run-in with the UFC’s previous drug testing company, United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). Back in 2016, an out-of-competition test was flagged for meldonium, and Makhachev was handed a three month suspension despite being quickly found “without fault or negligence.”

Unfortunately, that controversy remains a stain on his reputation. Things are looking up, however, because eight years later, Makhachev has joined the Ugly Jacket Club! That’s an achievement for fighters who have successfully passed 50 drug tests without issue, and UFC Senior Vice President of Anti-Doping Compliance Jeff Novitzky took the mic to clear Makhachev’s name of the 2016 incident.

According to Novitzky, the whole thing is USADA’s fault! Good thing UFC ousted that organization last year.

“In 2016, USADA, who ran our program, put it on our prohibited list,” Novitzky said about Meldonium (via MMAJunkie). “Before that, you were allowed to use it. He had a medical procedure back in 2014. He submitted documents that he used it under that. Ultimately, he was cleared by USADA. But in my opinion, one of the greatest, colossal mistakes in anti-doping. It affected not only Islam but several other UFC athletes and hundreds of other amateur Olympic athletes.

“That’s something that just cannot happen. That’s something you can carry forward with you and your reputation forever. I’m here today today to say that Islam absolutely did nothing wrong. This mistake was on the anti-doping authority, not him. It’s very important to note that.”

Nowadays, Combat Sports Anti-Doping is in charge of the UFC drug testing program. Can they avoid any more “colossal mistakes” and keep the sport clean? Not everyone is convinced.

Insomnia

Joaquin Buckley is allowed to say silly s—t all the time if he’s actually down to fight Shavkat Rakhmonov …

Nick Diaz wants to fight the stiffest of competition, which is the exact opposite of what I’d like to see as a fan.

The general hatred of Colby Covington is so strong it’s turning enemies to allies.

Another interesting reason to watch the UFC 302 undercard!

Ex-UFC Lightweight Justin Jaynes suffering memory loss after a knockout loss on the regional scene:

Cody Garbrandt celebrates two years sober.

I’m glad to see a softer side of Sean Strickland, but wasn’t he talking s—t on dog owners without kids like … a month ago?

Slips, rips, and KO clips

His method was chaotic, but Schisano effectively got Caldarera to the fence and then unloaded a right hand.

Ultimate Fighter veteran Joe Giannetti put his opponent to sleep in seconds over the weekend.

The left hook closes the door on a swang-and-bang brawl.

Random Land

Is Batman ready for Power Slap?

Midnight Music: The new Billie Eilish album is quite good in my opinion, her usual mix of quiet and sad, loud and catchy.

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

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Conor McGregor has some advice for Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev, and his team. Sort of.

It’s UFC 302 fight week which means the return of Makhachev and his next title challenger, Dustin Poirier. Before the pair collide this weekend (Sat., June 1, 2024), each had their pre-fight photoshoots, and the champion’s is now raising concern.

McGregor came across a tweet that spotlighted Makhachev’s left leg. There appears to be some kind of mark on the Lightweight kingpin, but no indication of anything serious or fight-threatening. However, “The Notorious” is confident it’s a staph infection.

Twitter: @TheNotoriousMMA

Twitter: @TheNotoriousMMA

“Staph again,” McGregor tweeted. “This inbred however lives with Staph. This team is infested, make no mistake. Scruff balls. Whatever ya’s are into, I suppose. He still subs Dustin in the 1st.

“Yous absolute scruffy f—ks I’m sick of yous,” he added. “Wash your f—king self! Wash your clothes! Wash your mats! And do it f—king everyday you scruffy c—ts. [sick emoji]”

In case you’ve been living under a rock or missed McGregor’s famous rivalry with Khabib Nurmagomedov, that’s the root of McGregor’s animosity toward Makhachev and company. Nurmagomedov, 35, retired two wins after he defeated McGregor by fourth round neck crank in October 2018. He’s since focused on coaching and returns to Makhachev’s corner for UFC 302.

Meanwhile, McGregor will return to action for the first time in three years when he battles Michael Chandler in UFC 303’s main event next month (Sat., June 29, 2024).

Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 302 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6:15 p.m. ET (simulcast on ESPN2 at 8 p.m. ET), before the pay-per-view (PPV) main card start time at 10 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+).

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 302: “Makhachev vs. Poirier” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.

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Kevin Holland finally had an opportunity to get revenge on “crazy” Nick Diaz, who went for the sauced-up Stockton slap after crossing paths with the welterweight “Trailblazer” inside the promotion’s APEX facility way back in 2018.

Unfortunately, the promotion wanted Holland to hold out for the UFC Abu Dhabi card in August.

“I was supposed to take a fight at 170 against a pretty big-name opponent, but they said he wasn’t going to be able to fight until August,” Holland said at the UFC 302 media day. “I said, ‘Damn, that’s a long time.’ And they’re like, ‘Bro, it’s only an extra month.’ And I was like, ‘Nah, that’s too long.’ It was Diaz.”

“I knew he was going to come back to fight, so I just thought I was going to smoke him, and then I was going to smoke Luque, too,” Holland continued. “Those two are fighting each other, so they can smoke each other. Two big ass joints. It was in Abu Dhabi. I wasn’t going to Abu Dhabi.”

Diaz will instead fight welterweight veteran Vicente Luque.

That freed up Holland to accept a middleweight showdown opposite Michal Oleksiejczuk as part of the upcoming UFC 302 pay-per-view (PPV) main card, which pops off this Sat. night (June 1, 2024) at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

For the rest of the UFC 302 fight card and PPV lineup click here.

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight sluggers Kevin Holland vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk will go to war this weekend (Sat., June 1, 2024) at UFC 302 inside Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

For a brief moment, there was hope that Holland’s drop to Welterweight would result in a title run. Losses to Stephen Thompson, Jack Della Maddalena and Michael Page have erased all momentum, however, so now “Big Mouth” is back in his usual role: fighting anyone, anywhere … and at any weight class.

Poland’s Oleksiejczuk is not a well-known name, but the boxer has been on UFC’s roster since 2017 and has scored some solid victories over the years. He may not be a contender at the moment, but Oleksiejczuk hunts for the knockout and rarely sees the judges’ scorecards.

Let’s take a closer look at the betting odds and strategic keys for each athlete:

Holland Vs. Oleksiejczuk Betting Odds

• Kevin Holland victory: -280
• Kevin Holland via TKO/KO/DQ: +225
• Kevin Holland via submission: +275
• Kevin Holland via decision: +300
• Michal Oleksiejczuk victory: +200
• Michal Oleksiejczuk via TKO/KO/DQ: +300
• Michal Oleksiejczuk via submission: +2500
• Michal Oleksiejczuk via decision: +800
• Draw: +5000
• Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

How Holland Wins

Holland is a great finisher. The lanky “Trailblazer” has serious, snappy power in his long punches, as well as a clinch game that can create sudden stoppages. His wrestling defense has come a long way, and Holland has a sneaky jiu-jitsu game as well.

In this match up, Holland will be looking to potshot Oleksiejczuk. The Polish boxer is sharper in extended exchanges, but Holland holds significant advantages in reach and speed. Subsequently, if Holland can keep his feet moving and force Oleksiejczuk to come to him, he can look to tee off then circle away.

Generally, Holland wants to avoid the pocket. Ideally, he’ll be using his funky kicks and straight punches to out-point (and hopefully hurt) Oleksiejczuk, then evade Oleksiejczuk’s aggression. If and when Oleksiejczuk does close into his own boxing range, Holland should be looking to wrap him up in a double-collar tie, land a knee or elbow, then push him away.

How Oleksiejczuk Wins

With 14 knockout wins in 19 victories, Oleksiejczuk is a proven knockout artist. His best attributes are his speed and body punching, which have put down several opponents inside the Octagon. Admittedly, his defensive wrestling and grappling are less than elite, but that’s unlikely to be a problem in this match up.

Oleksiejczuk can certainly win this fight. On the feet, he has the power and boxing form to outwork Holland, and it’s not generally Holland’s strategy to shoot for takedowns. The key is closing distance, getting to a place where Oleksiejczuk can build combinations and land his shots.

Body work is a big part of Oleksiejczuk’s game and should be important here, seeing as Holland’s chin is made of cement. Perhaps more vital is his ability to cut the cage, however. Oleksiejczuk is going to have to walk through fire to close range, but if Holland just resets and sticks him with another 1-2, nothing is gained. Oleksiejczuk has to corner him and started roasting the ribs, which will slow Holland down and allow connections upstairs.

Holland Vs. Oleksiejczuk Prediction

This should be a lot of fun.

I actually expect a competitive kickboxing match. Despite Holland’s superior resume and credentials, I wouldn’t consider him a significantly better striker than Oleksiejczuk. However, there is a significant difference in durability here. Oleksiejczuk is a gamer, but we’ve seen him run over by more physical talent in the past.

“Big Mouth,” meanwhile, can walk through sledgehammers and make jokes about it. In a fight between offensive talents, that feels like a difference-maker.

Prediction: Holland via decision (+300)

Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 302 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6:15 p.m. ET (simulcast on ESPN2 at 8 p.m. ET), before the pay-per-view (PPV) main card start time at 10 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+).

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 302: “Makhachev vs. Poirier” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.

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

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

The world of high-level jiu-jitsu competition just grew a little more interesting.

Australian grappling ace Craig Jones is a longtime black belt and elite competitor, a two-time silver medalist at the Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) tournament, widely regarded as the highest stage in jiu-jitsu competition. Jones will not be returning for the 2024 ADCC event, however, because he’ll be holding his own invitational tournament scheduled for August 16 and 17, directly competing against the ADCC event.

Why? On the Craig Jones Invitational (CJI) website, Jones described his tournament as “A nonprofit dedicated to elevating sport and athlete compensation, while simultaneously raising money for charitable causes.“ In other words, Jones isn’t impressed by the prizes offered by ADCC and other organizations like IBJJF and is trying to raise the stakes. He’s offering up a $ 1 million grand prize in two separate weight classes, above and under 80 kilograms.

As part of the promotional effort, Jones appeared on the Joe Rogan Experience MMA Show podcast. He wouldn’t reveal his financial backer, but Jones did offer one form of proof that he’s secured funds: dumping $ 1 million in cold hard cash all over Joe Rogan’s desk! It stunned the UFC color commentator, who remarked, “I’ve never seen a million dollars in one place! I’ve never even seen a million dollar check.”

Jones has already convinced several top talents like Nicky Ryan, Mason Fowler, and Nicky Rodriguez, to jump ship from ADCC to the CJI. Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight king Luke Rockhold will be there competing too! Oh, and Jones himself will be grappling legendary female grappler and undefeated MMA fighter Gabi Garcia in a wild super fight match up.

Sounds like an event worth watching?

Insomnia

A fun bit of back story to a UFC 302 “Prelim” fight:

Report: PRIDE OG Enson Inoue is suspected of drug smuggling.

Julian Erosa has to be the most unpredictable fighter on the roster. He’ll look bad in two out of three appearances then stunt on a really good fighter and make it look easy.

For the IPA drinkers reading:

I think people are taking Joaquin Buckley’s social media yapping way too seriously, Cub Swanson included. He gets an impressive amount of info wrong here, but who cares?

Niko Price has an incredible gift for hurting people in silly ways.

This photoshopped picture of Khamzat has been making rounds online — don’t believe the lies!

Jiri Prochazka is back in public, longing for the dark and empty room.

Slips, rips, and KO clips

Entered the pocket with his lead hand by his hip …

The start of the Machida era.

It didn’t produce a finish, but a picture-perfect wheel kick into a faceplant feels worthy.

Random Land

Give her a Strawweight title shot.

Midnight Music: Soul, 1965

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

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Arman Tsarukyan has done pretty well for himself in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

Currently ranked as the No. 1 Lightweight contender, Tsarukyan seemingly has his first career title shot secured after a big split decision win over Charles Oliveira at UFC 300 last month (April 13, 2024). Unfortunately for Tsarukyan, the offered UFC 302 title shot against the champion, Islam Makhachev, after his win was on too short of notice set for this weekend (Sat., June 1, 2024). Instead, perennial top contender, Dustin Poirier, will challenge the champion.

It would be a rematch with gold on the line should Tsarukyan challenge Makhachev after a Poirier win. Makhachev welcomed Tsarukyan to the promotion when they first fought in April 2019. It was a short-notice opportunity for Tsarukyan, and despite the split decision loss, he’s proven to be a legitimate elite 155-pound fighter. However, the champion believes he’s owed some gratitude for how things have played out.

“I think Arman should thank me, I signed him for a fight against me,” Makhachev told UFC Eurasia. “I wouldn’t call it a close fight even though many people say it was. I won every round. Arman still calls for a rematch. He had many opportunities to come out as a substitute. I know that before UFC 302 he was offered to fight me, either way, our rematch is inevitable, we’ll settle this soon.”

Since the Makhachev bout, Tsarukyan has gone 9-1 (22-3 overall). He’s won four in a row after a closely contested unanimous decision loss to Mateusz Gamrot in June 2022.

Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 302 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6:15 p.m. ET (simulcast on ESPN2 at 8 p.m. ET), before the pay-per-view (PPV) main card start time at 10 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+).

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 302: “Makhachev vs. Poirier” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.

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Mike Tyson is A-OK.

The former heavyweight boxing champion had a brief medical scare while flying across the country earlier this week, thanks to a pesky ulcer that went into business for itself. The 57 year-old pugilist was treated upon landing and appears to be back in tip-top shape.

Or so the story goes.

“Now feeling 100 percent,” Tyson wrote on Twitter. “Even though I don’t need to be to beat Jake Paul.”

Tyson is scheduled to face 27 year-old celebrity boxer Jake Paul on July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, which streams live on Netflix. There were concerns about the erosion of “Iron” long before his ulcer issues but Tyson insists he can solve “The Problem Child.”

We’ll find out in less than two months. If not, embattled super lightweight boxer Ryan Garcia is prepared to step in.

“Jakey boo,” Garcia wrote on social media. “If you down to fight, if Mike can’t do it, let me know, I will fill in.”

Just as soon as he’s done swallowing all the steroids.

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