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Chael Sonnen is going to end his combat sports retirement.

To the surprise of everyone, it was announced yesterday that three-time Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) title challenger, Sonnen, is set to box against his biggest rival, Anderson Silva. The match will officially be an exhibition and take place in Sao Paulo, Brazil next month (Sat., June 15, 2024).

Sonnen, 47, retired from mixed martial arts (MMA) after a second round technical knockout loss to Lyoto Machida at Bellator 222 in January 2019. The Silva trilogy will be his debut as a boxer and won’t be his last time in action.

“He offered to do MMA rules,” Sonnen said on Good Guy / Bad Guy. “According to them, Anderson said for Chael to pick the ruleset and it was just a situation where I’ve always wanted to box.

“I’ve got this thing coming up with Jorge Masvidal in October,” he continued. “That thing’s been coming up ever since ESPN sequestered me in Miami at [UFC] 299 to try to protect me from Jorge Masvidal. There was nothing that hurt my ego more than me being the one that’s being locked down. I’ve known this Masvidal thing was coming and then when do you let the cat out of the bag? Masvidal vs. [Nate] Diaz, I don’t want to step on Diaz’s toes, he’s got that fight, but allegedly they moved that fight closer to the [Jake] Paul [vs. Mike] Tyson fight.

“I got Jorge in my sights,” Sonnen concluded. “Anderson, as badly as I want to beat him and as much as I am going to go out there and beat him, it’s all a step in the process. When I get in there with Masvidal, it’s going to be eight rounds and they are going to have the 10 or the 12-ounce gloves, a little bit different situation.”

Sonnen and Masvidal have recently thrown verbal jabs at each other, catching the fight community somewhat off guard. Before they can have a boxing match as Sonnen alludes to, Masvidal will battle Diaz on July 7, 2024. Masvidal, 39, will also be ending his retirement when he takes on Diaz.

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Event: Misfits Boxing 15: “Brooke vs. VanZant”
Date: Sat., May 25, 2024
Location: NRG Arena in Houston, Texas
Start Time: DAZN pay-per-view at 7 p.m. ET

Misfits Boxing X Series 15 Main Event on DAZN:

125 lbs.: Elle Brooke vs. Paige VanZant for MFB Middleweight Title

Misfits Boxing X Series 15 Co-Main Event on DAZN:

200 lbs.: Le’Veon Bell vs. Tristan Hamm

Misfits Boxing X Series 15 Main Card on DAZN:

160 lbs.: Okemka Jibunor vs. Brendan Kelly
135 lbs.: Ree Moo vs. Elijah Smith
168 lbs.: Jeremy Park vs. Anthony Vargas
145 lbs.: Alaena Potocnik vs. Lauren Baker
145 lbs.: Alysia Magen vs. Jessica Duban
115 lbs.: Bi Nguyen vs. Silvia Fernandez

Misfits Boxing X Series 15 ‘Postlims’ on DAZN:

135 lbs.: Oscar Perez vs. Rafael Reyes

“Make no mistake, this is a colossal clash in the world of crossover boxing,” said Kalle Sauerland, Co-President of Misfits Boxing. “Hands down, Elle Brooke taking on the legendary Paige VanZant is the biggest female fight we’ve ever had in this space and the number of people watching in the arena, and worldwide on DAZN, will be huge. Brooke is the No. 2 pound-for-pound female fighter in Misfits Boxing but facing VanZant, a proven and global star from UFC, is by far the biggest challenge of her boxing career.”

Tickets for Misfits Boxing 15 are currently on sale through Ticketmaster.

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There was plenty of combat action to go around this past weekend for everyone to enjoy.

Bellator Paris saw Patchy Mix retain his Bantamweight title by narrowly defeating Magomed Magomedov, while Cedric Doumbe scored a spectacular knockout win over Jaleel Willis (see it again here). Then, at UFC Vegas 92, Lerone Murphy secured the biggest win of his career by defeating Edson Barboza via unanimous decision, while Khaos Williams obliterated Carlston Harris with a spectacular knockout.

But, the granddaddy of them all was the Heavyweight collision between the top two big men in the world of boxing as Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk threw down in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to see who would be undisputed king.

And the fight delivered on all fronts (watch highlights).

Fury was coming in undefeated (34-0-1) and the owner of WBC’s Heavyweight title, while Usyk was undefeated (21-0) and the holder of the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO and The Ring Heavyweight titles.

Usyk is a second-half type of fighter — it takes him a bit to warm up, but when he does, it doesn’t bode well for the opposition. And that’s just what happened this past weekend. Fury enjoyed some success early and seemed to be in control, playing to the crowd, taunting Usyk every time he landed a nice combination.

In fact, Fury thought he had the fight locked up.

However, Once Usyk got past the reach advantage and started to get his rhythm going, Fury started feeling the Ukrainian’s power. Then, in the ninth round, Usyk blasted “Gypsy King” with a massive right hand that had him wobbled. From there, Usyk piled on the damage, following a stumbling Fury all over the ring trying to connect with a finishing blow.

He had to settle for a knockdown.

Fury recovered and ultimately escaped the round, going on to win the next one on two of the judges scorecards. Many argued that the fight should have been stopped, but kudos has to be given to the referee for letting the fight continue since it was a massive one to say the least.

Usyk ultimate scored a split decision win, becoming the first undisputed division champion since 1999 (Lennox Lewis defeated Evander Holyfield to get the honorable distinction). Thanks to an instant rematch clause — regardless of who would’ve won — the two men are expected to run it back on Oct. 12, 2024.

But, will the outcome be any different?

Most felt that had it not been for Usyk nearly stopping Fury in the ninth round, the fight would’ve ended up a draw … or maybe even go Fury’s way. In a rematch, anything can happen, especially in a sport where two heavy-handed monsters are connecting blow after blow.

But, now that the two shared 12 grueling rounds in the ring with each other, they know the changes that must be made (and what to keep the same) to prevail. You know the players, how do you think Usyk vs. Fury 2 plays out this fall season?

For complete Fury vs. Usyk results, coverage and highlights click HERE.

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Piera Rodriguez understands that two illegal headbutts got her disqualified this past weekend at UFC Vegas 92, but the women’s strawweight fighter still can’t fathom why Ariane Carnelossi wasn’t able to continue fighting.

There was a massive boxing card going down in Saudi Arabia on Saturday so you may have missed UFC Vegas 92’s “Prelims” undercard. One of the matchups that played out was a 115-pound fight between Rodriguez and Carnelossi. Both women were coming off losses their last time out so this weekend was a big chance for them to regain momentum mid-way through 2024.

While Rodriguez was handily winning the fight and looked to be on the cusp of stopping Carnelossi in the second round, she ended up landing two illegal headbutts from top position that rendered Carnelossi incapable of continuing. The referee and cageside doctors gave Carnelossi five full minutes, but it still wasn’t enough. Rodriguez was disqualified and Carnelossi was awarded the win.

Rodriguez, who did in fact land two illegal blows, did not like the way Carnelossi handled herself at the end of the fight. She felt that Carnelossi could have continued, but knew she was losing so she took the easy way out. Rodriguez blasted her fellow strawweight in a recent social media rant, which can be seen below:

“I rather lose a fight because of a mistake I did, than go home calling myself a ‘winner’ knowing I am a coward,” wrote Rodriguez. “I made a big mistake, maybe because of adrenaline…But you have to go to sleep with that lie in your head your entire life! [Carnelossi] and you call yourself brave? I hope you and your team enjoy my money!”

Carnelossi, who has shown to be a tough and durable fighter throughout her UFC tenure, also took to social media to explain her situation and reveal some injuries she suffered from the fight. Check it out below:

“Hey guys, we just got back from the hospital and we’re already at the hotel,” wrote Carnelossi via Instagram. “After some tests, it was detected [I have] a fractured nose and an injury to the zygomatic bone, plus the formation of a blood clot in the sinus region.

“Thank you EVERYONE who sent me positive messages. As for [Rodriguez], what people need to understand is that what often differentiates humans from animals are the RULES.”

Thoughts?

For complete UFC Vegas 92 results, coverage, and highlights click HERE.

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Conor McGregor’s record-breaking comeback fight is just six weeks away and the former UFC double champion is ramping up his efforts in training. That’s probably why “Notorious” nearly destroyed a teammate during a recent sparring session.

It’s been almost three years since the last time fight fans saw McGregor step foot inside of the Octagon. That was at UFC 264 all the way back in July 2021. McGregor was fighting Dustin Poirier for the third time and ended up breaking his leg towards the end of the first round. “Notorious” has been on the mend and making movies every since, but is finally ready to rejoin the UFC ranks.

Luckily, McGregor has a friendly matchup for his return. The UFC superstar will be pitted against a heavy-handed Michael Chandler, who prefers to stand-and-bang despite possessing elite-level wrestling. As long as Chandler doesn’t try to grapple McGregor their UFC 303 main event this June will be tailored for “Notorious” to win in dramatic fashion. That’s if McGregor can return to form after a three-year layoff from fighting.

As of right now, it appears that McGregor is gearing up for a memorable return to action. During recent sparring footage that the Irishman released on social media, McGregor can be seen delivering one of his patented left counter shots. The punch caught his sparring partner clean and nearly took his head off. It was like a blast from the past.

Check it out below:

What do you think, Maniacs? Is this proof that McGregor is getting back to form ahead of UFC 303 or are we reading too much into a four-second sparring clip?

Sound off!

For more UFC 303 fight card news and coverage click HERE.

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— UPDATE —

Silva later posted to social media on Sunday stating that he will NOT be fighting Crews after all. The former UFC champion states that Crews is a close friend and that he will announce his actual opponent shortly. See below:

— END OF UPDATE —

The headline above isn’t wrong. Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight king Anderson Silva is expected to enter the boxing ring against actor Terry Crews on June 15 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. It’s being called “Spider’s Grand Finale” and will air LIVE on TV Globo.

This is according to a recent report by Brazilian news outlet, @choquei.

Silva, who turned 49 this past April, has fought three times since leaving UFC back in 2020. All of those contests have come inside the boxing ring. “Spider” defeated Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. with a huge upset decision, then knocked out Tito Ortiz with ease, and then most recently suffered a decision loss to Jake Paul in Oct. 2022. That is the last time fight fans saw Silva compete.

Since then, the UFC legend has bearded and bloated almost beyond recognition.

If this report is true and Silva will fight Crews next month in Brazil it’s not the best way to end a legendary career chock-full of real accomplishments. Crews is an in-shape actor with zero combat experience, but a massive social media following that should draw considerable interest. So even though it’s a smart move for ratings purposes, Silva will be a heavy betting favorite to handily stop Cheeseburger Eddy in his tracks.

Crews, 55, is known for his roles in movies such as White Chicks, Idiocracy, and The Longest Yard. The confident actor took to social media over the weekend to deliver a cringe-worthy callout of Silva. Check it out below:

“I’ve been training, I’m ready,” said Crews (shown above). “I will see you at fight night, on June 15th, in Brazil.”

Silva eventually took to his social media and delivered his own video for Crews. That can be seen below:

“Terry Crews, June 15 I’m waiting for you. I’m preparing myself for you,” responded Silva.

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UFC 303 has lost its co-main event.

Yesterday (Sat., May 18, 2024), during UFC Vegas 92, Khalil Rountree Jr. took to his Instagram to deliver some devasting news: He has been temporarily suspended because of a banned substance and is out of his upcoming fight against Jamahal Hill, which was supposed to be the co-main event of the huge Conor McGregor return card in June.

“I’m gutted to deliver this news to you all but I will not be fighting at UFC 303 due to consuming a banned substance,” Rountree wrote. “I did not do this intentionally and I am doing everything I can to get this situation taken care of. I was using a personalized, tailored supplement service from a company that I trusted who understood my limitations in what I can and cannot take.

“They accidentally sent a blended supplement to me that contained [a] banned substance called DHEA (which is prohibited at all times under the UFC anti-doping policy). Only after I consumed it was its ingredients brought to my attention.”

According to Mayo Clinic, “Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a hormone that your body naturally produces in the adrenal gland. DHEA helps produce other hormones, including testosterone and estrogen.”

While the body produces DHEA, there is a synthetic form that can be abused as a performance-enhancing drug.

Rountree contacted the UFC as soon as he found out about the mishap.

“I immediately contacted senior vice president of anti-doping compliance Jeff Novitzky and UFC vice president of anti-doping compliance Donna Marcolini upon receiving that information to inform them of this matter,” Rountree wrote. “I’ve provided them with all of the information to show that this was not a matter of cheating or to enhance performance. Although DHEA is non-performance enhancing, it is a banned substance therefore I am under temporary suspension.

“My sincerest apologies to you all and to Jamahal for this unfortunate series of events. This is a huge loss and an even bigger lesson,” Rountree concluded.

There is no information yet as to what Rountree’s suspension will look like; however, being pulled from the biggest fight of his life might be the most brutal and most significant blow.

The 34-year-old is riding a five-fight win streak, with four of those wins coming from TKO.

For the latest UFC 303 fight card and PPV lineup click here.

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Hit the pinball music.

Oleksandr Usyk scored the biggest win of his career last night (Sat., May 18, 2024) as he handed Tyson Fury his first professional defeat via split decision from inside Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (watch highlights).

While the fight was very close (check out the scorecards), a huge knockdown in the eighth round ultimately gave Usyk the undisputed title win. Fury bounced around the boxing ring like a pinball, trying to keep his feet under him while also trying to protect his face, but he finally dropped in the corner and was saved by the bell.

Check out the video of the insane knockdown from ringside.

While Fury showed his “Gypsy King” toughness, there is an argument to be made that the fight could have easily been stopped as he was not properly defending himself.

Nevertheless, Fury bounced back like the champion he was to win the 10th round on two judges’ scorecards. The 35-year-old boxer believes he won the fight.

Fury snapped his 34-fight win streak and lost his WBC Heavyweight title. Usyk, on the other hand, remains undefeated at 22-0 and is now the undisputed Heavyweight boxing champion for the first time since 1999, when Lennox Lewis was king. He is also the first four-belt undisputed Heavyweight champion.

For complete Fury vs. Usyk results, coverage, and highlights click HERE.

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UFC Vegas 92 goes down on ESPN tonight with Edson Barboza vs. Lerone Murphy in the main event. Checkout what will happen this evening right here!

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to the cozy confines of the UFC APEX this weekend (Sat., May 18, 2024) with UFC Vegas 92 mixed martial arts (MMA) event. The event will be streamed LIVE on ESPN and ESPN+. The main event features Edson Barboza taking on Lerone Murphy in the Featherweight division. The co-main is a Welterweight banger with Khaos Williams meeting Carlston Harris. The main card also sees Ramiz Brahimaj return to take on Themba Gorimbo. The ‘Prelims’ feature Tom Nolan vs. Victor Martinez and Abus Magomedov vs. Warlley Alves.

UFC VEGAS 92 TIME AND DATE

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vegas 92 card below, starting with the ESPN+“Prelims” matches, which are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. ET, then the remaining main card balance (also on ESPN+) at 7 p.m. ET. Bet on all the UFC Vegas 92 action with our friends at DraftKings Sportsbook right here.

Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps, and post-fight analysis following “Barboza vs. Murphy.” Without further delay, see below for the updated UFC Vegas 92 results. (Note: This will go from the top down; therefore, look to the top of the stream for the newest update).

UFC VEGAS 92 QUICK RESULTS

145 lbs.: Edson Barboza vs. Lerone Murphy — Murphy def. Barboza via unanimous decision
170 lbs.: Khaos Williams vs. Carlston Harris — Williams def. Harris via KO (right hook), round 1 (1:30).
170 lbs.: Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Themba Gorimbo — Gorimbo def. Brahimaj via unanimous decision
135 lbs.: Adrian Yanez vs. Vinicius Salvador — Yanez def. Salvador via TKO (ground punches), round 2 (2:47).
115 lbs.: Angela Hill vs. Luana Pinheiro — Hill def. Pinheiro via submission (guillotine), round 2 (4:12).
155 lbs.: Tom Nolan vs. Victor Martinez — Nolan def. Martinez via TKO (knee and ground punches), round 1 (3:50)
205 lbs.: Oumar Sy vs. Tuco Tokkos — Sy def. Tokkos via submission (rear naked choke), round 1 (3:42) — HIGHLIGHTS!
135 lbs.: Tamires Vidal vs. Melissa Gatto: Gatto def. Vidal via TKO (body punches), round 3 (0:37)
185 lbs.: Abus Magomedov vs. Warlley Alves — Magomedov def. Alves via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)
115 lbs.: Piera Rodriguez vs. Ariane Carnelossi: Carnelossi def. Rodriguez via DQ (intentional heabutts), round 2 (3:16) — HIGHLIGHTS!
135 lbs.: Alatengheili vs. Kleydson Rodrigues: Alatengheili def. Rodrigues via unanimous decision
115 lbs.: Emily Ducote vs. Vanessa Demopoulos: Demopoulos def. Emily Ducote via split decision

UFC VEGAS 92 ‘BARBOZA VS. MURPHY’ PLAY-BY-PLAY

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

To check out the latest and greatest UFC Vegas 92: “Barboza vs. Murphy” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.

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The long-awaited heavyweight title fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will play out in its entirety later today (Sat., May 18, 2024) at Ring of Fire live on DAZN PPV from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as fight fans wait in anticipation.

With all four major heavyweight titles up for grabs this will be a historic main event. The winner of Fury vs. Usyk will crown the first undisputed heavyweight champion of boxing since Lennox Lewis defeated Evander Holyfield back in 1999. Add in the $ 150 million guaranteed fight purse and you have one of the biggest, most important fight cards in years.

The only problem for fight fans is knowing when to tune in to see the main event go down live. Ring of Fire’s “Prelims” offer some good action as well, but hardcore and casual boxing fans will want to know exactly when Fury and Usyk will make their respective walks to the ring, especially since the event is taking place in another time zone half way across the world.

With the PPV card beginning at 12 p.m. ET earlier today, Fury vs. Usyk is not expected to start until around 5:30 p.m. ET tonight. Boxing cards are always difficult to predict given their lengthy ring walks and delayed start times, but the heavyweight main event should fall somewhere closer to the evening hours here in the U.S. It will come after a seven-fight undercard plays out so be sure to stick with Mania for any relevant updates.

For complete Fury vs. Usyk results, coverage, and highlights click HERE.

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