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Kamaru Usman last fought in the UFC in October 2023 against Khamzat Chimaev. “Borz” absolutely dominated the first, as he had Usman’s back for the most part and was either landing unanswered shots or trying for submissions.

The former UFC welterweight champion bounced back in the second and third rounds, though. He won several striking exchanges and didn’t allow his opponent to do anything effective with takedowns.

As fans around the world eagerly wait for his return, Usman revealed his learnings from his last fight and why it wasn’t a five-rounder…

Kamaru Usman Missed The Opportunity To Make Khamzat Chimaev Fight A Five-Rounder Due To Lack Of Confidence

Usman discussed his last loss to Chimaev on the Weighing In podcast, hosted by John McCarthy and Josh Thomson. Right away, “Nigerian Nightmare” remembered that he had lost a close decision to Leon Edwards six months earlier and was stepping in to fight on 10 days’ notice.

“That was the issue. And that’s why Trevor, my coach Trevor Wittman tells me all the time that I’m one of the best, if not the best, at building in a fight and for the first time in a long time, I didn’t trust myself and my abilities because that fight, it could’ve been a five-rounder.”

Even though he had fought in 10 consecutive five-round UFC fights at this point, Usman avoided asking the promotion to make the Chimaev fight a five-rounder too. This was primarily because he didn’t trust his ability to withstand a 25-minute bout without a proper camp.

However, Usman admitted to not being satisfied with the decision loss to Chimaev. This was an eye-opening moment for him, as he made sure to trust himself again. He also looked back at his coach Trevor Wittman’s remarks who proudly claims Usman to be one of the best in getting better in fights over time.

“I wasn’t training as I would be if I had a fight and I went through a camp and so, with that being said that, I didn’t trust myself in that sense. So then you get in a fight and I realize I haven’t fought a three-round fight in, I don’t remember last time I fought a three-round fight. So, I’ve built myself up to get in a position to where you can build over the course of five rounds. And so now that it’s not that, it was very very difficult for me to be okay with that result.”

From the looks of it, Usman has had enough time to rejuvenate physically and mentally after losing the UFC welterweight championship. In his return, he might fight for the title again or aim to avenge his loss to Chimaev in a five-rounder.

• READ MORE: ‘I’ve Essentially Had Two Camps For This Guy’ –  Robert Whittaker Lays Down Confident Plan To Get Past Khamzat Chimaev And Fight For UFC Middleweight Gold

Continue Reading ‘I Didn’t Trust Myself Enough’ – Kamaru Usman Reveals How Khamzat Chimaev Loss Was Eye-Opening For Him at MMA News.

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There is a realistic possibility that we could be seeing Jiří Procházka competing in a new weight class next time out.

Just as he did some time after UFC 303, Procházka continued to tease a drop down in weight in a new video on his YouTube channel.

In the video, the Czech star mentions feeling ready to fight again now, but he is currently waiting for the right conditions to go into a matchup sharp in mind, body, and spirit.

The interviewer then asks Procházka about the weight he plans to return at. The former light heavyweight champion states that if Dricus Du Plessis were to win at UFC 305, he would look at the possibility of moving down to middleweight. The South African retained the middleweight championship earlier this month at UFC 305, submitting Israel Adesanya.

“I’ll clear things up a bit there and take the belt,” Procházka said. “But I feel good and strong in the light heavyweight division, even though the guys there are a bit heavier, almost all of them. So I have to say that I have no problem physically and strength-wise, or in any way, with clearing them out.

“But it would certainly be a challenge for me to go for the belt in the (middleweight) division and then move (back) up. But I’ll really let it flow and see how it unfolds.”

Jiří Procházka Eyeing Move Down To Middleweight To Challenge Dricus Du Plessis

Procházka is coming off an unsuccessful challenge of Alex Pereira for the UFC light heavyweight championship at UFC 303 in June. The result marked the second time in about seven months that the two clashed over the championship.

Pereira recently teased his own move down to middleweight to challenge Du Plessis and try to become a simultaneous two-division champion, having already held the 185-pound gold before his move up to 205 pounds.

Procházka was also asked about rumors of a potential fight with another former light heavyweight champion in Jamahal Hill. “Sweet Dreams” fell in his own challenge of “Poatan” at UFC 300 — the same card that saw Procházka finish Aleksandar Rakić.

The Czechia native poured cold water on such rumors during this interview.

“There hasn’t been any negotiation or discussion with the manager, or anyone else yet,” Procházka said. “I just sent one message regarding Hill, just as an informational note, and I’m not sure if anything has progressed or if someone let something slip. But for now, it’s all just speculation.”

• Read More: UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Caio Borralho Decisions Jared Cannonier

Continue Reading Jiří Procházka Reiterates Plan To Move Down To Middleweight Following Dricus Du Plessis’ Title Defense at MMA News.

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The future appears to be bright for Caio Borralho after pulling off a decision win over Jared Cannonier in the main event of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night card at the Apex.

The two had a hard-fought battle filled with plenty of strikes. Borralho’s kicks seemed to get the better of Cannonier in the first round before the former title challenger found a groove with his punches in the second.

They were even in terms of striking numbers in the third, but “The Natural” managed to get “The Killa Gorilla” wobbly late in the frame. Cannonier battled back in the fourth round by delivering with his power, forming heavy damage around one of Borralho’s eyes.

The Brazilian managed to gain the fifth round, however, by dropping Cannonier with a one-two in the closing minutes and nearly scoring the finish.

“I caught him with some good jabs, and I think all these jabs hide my left hand, and when I (was) touching with my left hand, he felt (it) all the times,” Borralho told Megan Olivi for ESPN. “But he’s so durable, you know? He’s so tough. He’s been with the best in the world so many years. Crazy. He was in the UFC in 2015. That was the year of my last defeat, my second MMA fight.”

Caio Borralho Claims He Is A New Champ On The Rise

Borralho ventured his way into the UFC after a pair of wins over Aaron Jeffrey and Jesse Murray on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021. Since then, “The Natural,” representing the Fighting Nerds team, has surged upward in momentum by defeating the likes of Paul Craig, Michał Oleksiejczuk, and Makhmud Muradov prior to Cannonier.

Now with bigger opportunities in his future, in addition to his callout of champion Dricus Du Plessis in the Octagon, Borralho is expecting to be placed in the top five of the middleweight ranking when they’re updated next week.

“I hope to see my name on Tuesday in the top five of this division,” Borralho said. “You know I’m coming for my belt. The mantra of this training camp was to show the new champ arrived. And I think everybody saw that (there is) a new champ on the rising [sic] – a guy that never gives up and (has) all skills.”

• Read More: UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Caio Borralho Decisions Jared Cannonier

Continue Reading Caio Borralho Reveals ‘Mantra’ Of Training Camp For Jared Cannonier Win: ‘The New Champ Has Arrived’ at MMA News.

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UFC Fight Night takes place tonight from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights! 

In the main event, ranked middleweights Jared Cannonier (#5) and Caio Borralho (#12) will clash. While in the co-main event, Angela Hill will face Tabatha Ricci in a strawweight matchup. The event will also feature this year’s TUF finales.

All 24 fighters made weight at the weigh-ins. Make sure to catch all the UFC Fight Night results and highlights as they happen below! 

Main Card (ESPN/ESPN+, 10PM ET): 

• Middleweight Main Event: Jared Cannonier vs. Caio Borralho 

• Women’s Strawweight Co-Main Event: Angela Hill vs. Tabatha Ricci (115lbs) 

• Middleweight (TUF 32 Finale): Robert Valentin vs. Ryan Loder (186lbs) 

• Featherweight (TUF 32 Finale): Kaan Ofli vs. Mairon Santos 

• Welterweight: Neil Magny vs. Michael Morales  

• Middleweight: Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Gerald Meerschaert 

Preliminary Card (ESPN+, 7PM ET): 

• Lightweight: Dennis Buzukja vs. Francis Marshall  

• Middleweight: Zachary Reese vs. Jose Medina 

• Lightweight: Viacheslav Borshchev vs. James Llontop 

• Women’s Bantamweight: Jacqueline Cavalcanti vs. Josiane Nunes  

• Featherweight: Zygimantas Ramaska vs. Nathan Fletcher  

• Women’s Flyweight: Wang Cong vs. Victoria Leonardo  

Continue Reading UFC Fight Night: Jared Cannonier vs. Caio Borralho Results & Highlights (7 PM ET)  at MMA News.

MMA News

Ronda Rousey will always be a massive part of the history of MMA and whilst she was a pioneer in many ways, no female fighter has been able to reach that same level of star power.

There have been many athletes that come along with elements of star potential but the PFL’s Dakota Ditcheva appears to have everything.

It was clear that she had a special quality about her when talking to the media but of course, none of that matters if you can’t back it up in the cage.

Despite detractors regarding her quality of opponents, Ditcheva has beaten everyone that the PFL has put in front of her to go from winning the PFL Europe tournament last year to advancing to the finals of the regular season this year, where she will take on former UFC title challenger Taila Santos in a must-see bout.

Sean O’Connell Says Dakota Ditcheva Has Everything She Needs To Be A Huge Star

Ditcheva appeared on stage moments before the press conference for Francis Ngannou’s PFL debut, where she was joined by Jake Paul who compared her to Rousey.

PFL commentator Sean O’Connell believes that whilst she might be doing it in a different way, he can understand the comparisons between the former face of women’s MMA and one of the most exciting contenders around right now.

He spoke in an interview with TalkSPORT about how Ditcheva has the world at her feet because she ticks every box to become a huge star.

“She has the potential to be a superstar but not for the same reasons as Ronda Rousey. Ronda was the pioneer, Ronda was the one that broke the barrier and got women into the UFC and unfortunately, that’s a milestone that can never be reached again even for someone with the star caliber of Dakota Ditcheva. You could make the argument that it’s going to be harder for Dakota to reach those heights of celebrity but she absolutely is capable of it.

“First of all, because of how incredible she is as a fighter but also she understands the media game, right. She knows exactly when to switch off that savage and become the sweetheart again. She’s got the look, she’s got the charisma and when you have that plus the ability to knock women out like she does, the sky is the limit.”

Read also: 2024 PFL 9 Playoffs: Brendan Loughnane vs. Kai Kamaka III Results & Highlights (7 PM ET)

Continue Reading PFL Star Touted For Ronda Rousey-esque Growth: ‘She Knows Exactly When To Switch Off The Savage & Become The Sweetheart…’ at MMA News.

MMA News

Alex Pereira will return at UFC 307 to defend his UFC light heavyweight championship against Khalil Rountree. A couple of weeks later, no. 2 ranked contender Magomed Ankalaev will fight no. 5 ranked Aleksandar Rakić in a potential title eliminator.

The announcement has left fans divided with many complaining about the no. 8 ranked fighter getting a title shot. Top UFC light heavyweight contenders like Jamahal Hill and Jan Błachowicz have questioned the matchmaking process as well.

On the flip side, admirers of Rountree’s explosive striking are expecting him to put on a great performance against Pereira. Here’s how Daniel Cormier looks at the UFC 307 main event and why he thinks it’s the right move by the UFC…

Daniel Cormier Explains Why He Wouldn’t Put Alex Pereira Against Magomed Ankalaev Despite Him Being The Obvious Choice

Cormier and Ben Askren discussed Pereira vs. Rountree on the former’s official YouTube channel recently. While Askren seemed perplexed by how “The War Horse” is fighting for the title, Cormier understood the decision because of Pereira’s growing stardom.

“Ankalaev seems so obvious a choice but not really the choice because I wouldn’t put him in there with Alex right now. Like honestly, Alex Pereira is actually selling pay-per-views and he’s making money for you as a company. I don’t know if Ankalaev can do that right now.”

By frequently fighting in major events like UFC 300, UFC 303, and now, UFC 307, “Poatan” has quickly amassed millions of fans. However, as per DC, he’s yet to be as big a star as Conor McGregor.

The former UFC champ further explained that McGregor’s unprecedented stardom helped his opponents make a name for themselves by beating him. Khabib Nurmagomedov and Dustin Poirier are fine examples of the same.

“If you beat Conor McGregor, you become a pay-per-view attraction. If you beat certain guys, you kind of take their shine and you become that attraction. I don’t know if you beat Pereira, you become that attraction. I don’t know, I think he is the attraction. I don’t know, just by beating him, if he’s the big enough star yet to elevate the next guy to the point that they’re selling a whole bunch of paper.:

Cormier believes that Pereira is yet to reach McGregor’s levels of popularity where he generates new stars, even while losing. As a result, the UFC would want to give “Poatan” favorable matchups and make him the center of attention for as long as possible. At the moment, the promotion won’t risk ending the reign of its biggest star in recent times.

Read also: Sean O’Malley ‘Annoyed-ish’ At Noche UFC Fight Promotion After Getting Nod To Headline Over Holloway vs. Topuria, Conor McGregor

Continue Reading Daniel Cormier Makes Conor McGregor Comparison To Justify Alex Pereira’s UFC 307 Title Defence Against Khalil Rountree: ‘Big Enough Star Yet?’ at MMA News.

MMA News

Sean O’Malley will defend his UFC bantamweight championship against Merab Dvalishvili at Riyadh Season Noche UFC in the Las Vegas Sphere on September 14, 2024. The event will celebrate Mexican Independence Day and UFC CEO Dana White has promised unprecedented production quality.

With a spectacular win at The Sphere, O’Malley can significantly boost his popularity in MMA circles and draw new fans. However, his opponent has won ten consecutive fights in the UFC with relentless pressure and dominant wrestling.

Amidst the gradually increasing hype for his next fight, “Suga” revealed his mixed feelings about headlining a massive card like UFC 306…

Sean O’Malley Expects The UFC To Promote His Fight, Not Just The Sphere In The Lead-Up To UFC 306

O’Malley talked about the opportunity to headline a card as massive as UFC 306 on Michael Bisping’s Believe You Me podcast recently. With UFC 305 done and dusted, the UFC bantamweight champ acknowledges that Riyadh Season Noche UFC will soon get all the eyes.

“I’m very excited. Now that it’s like, you know, the last fight, the pay-per-view is last weekend so now it’s, you know, it’s always the next pay-per-view, that’s being talked about so now that that fight’s over, we got The Sphere coming up.”

“Suga” realizes his fight with Dvalishvili is the UFC 306 main event over Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway, now scheduled for UFC 308. Conor McGregor was also rumored to be added to the card. He’s naturally honored to get this chance from the UFC but expects the promotions to improve as the event approaches.

O’Malley highlighted that the UFC has promoted The Sphere and the event’s theme more than the fighters, including him and Dvalishvili. However, he looks forward to things getting better once promotion on social media begins.

“A little annoyed-ish about the promotion of The Sphere. The Sphere is the show. I’m the one doing interviews, not The Sphere. Let’s promote Sean vs. Merab, the Suga show. I’m the one fighting let’s go baby. But, you know, it is what it is. The Sphere is going to be f*****g legendary, it’ll be epic, it’ll be cool. But yeah I think these next few weeks are really going to, you know, things are still going to start coming out. ESPN Will start posting, UFC will Start Posting. So, it’s going to feel big soon.

“Suga” leaves no opportunity to take sly digs at his opponents through funny skits and memes on social media platforms. He’s also fulfilling his media responsibilities as a UFC champion, which explains his aforementioned expectations from the promotion.

• Read More: Chael Sonnen Feels Khalil Rountree Fight Will Fast Track Alex Pereira’s Heavyweight Move: ‘The Best Way, Get Him Beat!’

Continue Reading Sean O’Malley ‘Annoyed-ish’ At Noche UFC Fight Promotion After Getting Nod To Headline Over Holloway vs. Topuria, Conor McGregor at MMA News.

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, it’s common knowledge in MMA circles that Francis Ngannou and Dana White have a rocky relationship. After being the UFC’s biggest heavyweight superstar for quite some time, Ngannou left due to contract-related conflicts, and White has never been happy about it.

Since Ngannou’s departure, White has frequently taken jabs at the former UFC heavyweight champ. The UFC President has blamed him for not fighting Jon Jones and has discredited his boxing career as well.

In the press conference for his PFL debut against Renan Ferreira on Oct. 19 in Saudi Arabia, Ngannou finally fired back at White’s latest comments…

Francis Ngannou Reveals Why Jon Jones Fight Didn’t Happen Despite His Request

While talking to journalists at the PFL press conference, Ngannou flipped the script and claimed that Jones didn’t want to fight him in the UFC. He allegedly requested the fight multiple times but was told that “Bones” wasn’t willing to fight as he was enjoying life in Albuquerque.

“As far as I’m concerned, it was Jon Jones didn’t want to fight for me, according to them. And so many time that we sit down on the meeting, I’m like, oh it can’t happen Jon Jones doesn’t want to fight anymore. You know, like he live in Albuquerque. He live his small life. He has a lot of money in his bank account, you know. So, I think, the guy who control the narrative can say whatever he wants but that’s just the narrative. I never, I was the one requesting the Jon Jones fight but I didn’t want that like a trap, to get into some deal and get to something I didn’t want.”

As per “The Predator”, another reason why the Jones fight couldn’t happen was his contract. He was down to fight the UFC light heavyweight GOAT but wanted a contract that benefited him in ways other than just money. This included the freedom to box, in-cage sponsorships, and health insurance, among other things.

Ngannou’s relationship with the UFC fell apart when both parties couldn’t negotiate a contract that fulfilled the former’s demands. Instead, the UFC heavyweight champ left the promotion and signed with the PFL.

• Read More: Chael Sonnen Feels Khalil Rountree Fight Will Fast Track Alex Pereira’s Heavyweight Move: ‘The Best Way, Get Him Beat!’

Continue Reading Francis Ngannou Clears The Air On Dana White Claiming He Ducked Jon Jones: ‘The Guy Who Control The Narrative…’ at MMA News.

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The UFC’s light heavyweight division has been unpredictable as of late after two big matchups were put together that left some questions.

Magomed Ankalaev has been pushing to face champion Alex Pereira for a long time now, but in order to get his second shot at the title, he will need to get past Aleksandar Rakić at UFC 308.

Meanwhile, Khalil Rountree will leapfrog both him and the majority of the top 10 to face “Poatan” at UFC 307 in an exciting clash of styles that plenty have suggested is premature.

Many will be expecting Ankalaev to come through yet another light heavyweight contender and continue to call for his shot, but Chael Sonnen believes some may be getting carried away…

Sonnen Warns Fans Not To Underestimate Rakić’s Chances Against Ankalaev

During a recent YouTube video, Sonnen spoke about what appears to be a number one contenders’ clash at 205 pounds that is set for October 26.

Not only were fans surprised to see Ankalaev not securing his date with the champion, many were puzzled by the decision to book him against Rakić. Whilst he is a top five contender in the division, he’s coming off of a loss in another title eliminator when he was stopped by Jiří Procházka at UFC 300.

Sonnen stated that although this could be the final hurdle for Ankalaev to overcome, it can’t be overlooked how big of an opportunity this is for his opponent.

“Ankalaev, clearly the number one contender, at least according to you guys. And you know what? I do have a little bit of a problem with that. I’s not a huge problem but I do have just a little one,” Sonnen said. “Which is Rakić is that damn good. You got to understand, Rakić did not get a world title fight — well neither did Ankalaev, but Rakić did find himself in the next best thing.

“He’s in a number one contenders’ match. That is quite literally the next best thing that you could get to a title fight and he found himself there coming off of a loss. As a matter of fact, he found himself there coming off of a stoppage loss. As a matter of fact, finding himself in this spot actually moves him in front of the guy that he suffered the loss to in Procházka,” Sonnen continued. “I’m only telling you this because that’s how good Rakić is and a lot of people have forgot.”

• Read More: Chael Sonnen Feels Khalil Rountree Fight Will Fast Track Alex Pereira’s Heavyweight Move: ‘The Best Way, Get Him Beat!’

Continue Reading Chael Sonnen Tells Fans To Hold Their Horses On Seeing Magomed Ankalaev As Top Light Heavyweight Contender: ‘Rakić Is That Damn Good!’ at MMA News.

MMA News

One of the clear highlights of the UFC 305 pay-per-view this past weekend was the lightweight contest between Mateusz Gamrot and Dan Hooker.

Given Gamrot’s position in the division and recent wins, many expected him to get this victory to take one more step closer to a title shot. However, “The Hangman” had other plans.

He managed to win a split decision and a top five ranking spot following a great clash between them, which sent the Perth crowd crazy after witnessing the Fight of the Night bonus winner.

One fellow lightweight contender who had his eye on this clash was Paddy Pimblett. “The Baddy” recently entered the top 15 at 155 pounds with a submission win over King Green at UFC 304.

He gave his live reaction to the fight on his YouTube channel, where before the first bell sounded, he teed up the idea of meeting either man down the line.

“I could end up fighting one of these couldn’t I?”

Paddy Pimblett Agreed With Decision, Tees Up Dan Hooker Encounter In The Future

Like many, Pimblett agreed that Gamrot was the favorite going in. He did, however, make a point of stating that Hooker shouldn’t have been such a big underdog due to the caliber of opponents he has faced.

“The Baddy” wasn’t surprised to see “Gamer” get takedowns, but over the course of the fight, he watched as “The Hangman” kept pouring on the pressure with his forward momentum.

The fight was a close one, which the scorecards and Pimblett’s reaction seconded. But the former Cage Warriors champion did agree that Hooker did enough to get his hand raised.

While there may be 10 ranking spots between them, “The Baddy” would be open to testing himself against the fan favorite in the future.

“Fight of the night so far of what I’ve watched. Let’s see the decision anyway. I reckon Hooker, lad, to be honest. 29-28 Gamrot. 29-28 Hooker, upset, Dan Hooker back in the top five,” Pimblett said. “Could be a nice fight for me in the future.”

• Read More: Mateusz Gamrot Sets Sights On Next Opponent After UFC 305 Setback: ‘If The UFC Likes It…’

Continue Reading Paddy Pimblett Reacts To Dan Hooker’s Upset Win Over Mateusz Gamrot At UFC 305: ‘Could Be A Nice Fight For Me…’ at MMA News.

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