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There is a lot of speculation and talk regarding the tragic death of Buvaisar Saitiev, a three-time Olympic champion. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest freestyle wrestlers of all time, 

This includes speculation from MMA personality Chael Sonnen, who has weighed in on the passing. Saitiev is alleged to have passed away after falling from a window while cleaning his home. 

Many have claimed the details of the death to be odd considering the other mysterious deaths in Russia, often involving politicians or prominent figures in the country. Sonnen expressed skepticism about the circumstances surrounding Saitiev’s death in a post on X.

“Hard to be in peace when the World accepts your death was caused by falling from your own window while cleaning a home you have a maid at.”

He passed away at the sge of 49. Since his death, Saitiev has been given tributes from the likes of Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev.

This is just the latest incident, which adds to a troubling pattern of unexplained deaths among prominent Russians. With an investigation seemingly unlikely, it leaves people questioning what really happened.

The circumstances surrounding the passing have come alongside tributes, with many people believe there is more than meets the eye regarding this. 

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In Dan Hardy’s eyes, the only intriguing opponent for Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall sits outside of the promotion.

Aspinall continues to await news of his next assignment. Despite the division boasting two titleholders for the past 16 months, it remains unclear whether the British powerhouse and Jon Jones will meet in a unification fight.

Following Jones’ successful defense against Stipe Miocic last November, Dana White gave his backing for “Bones” to face Aspinall next. Negotiations for that coming to fruition are seemingly underway.

And according to Hardy, the UFC higher-ups better make Jones an offer he can’t refuse lest they be left with zero “legit” matchups for Aspinall.

Though many might disagree and point to a heavyweight clash with current 205-pound kingpin Alex Pereira, “The Outlaw” believes only PFL star Francis Ngannou would be adequate opposition for the Manchester native.

“Of course, Pereira could touch anybody on the chin on the planet and knock them out. But if you’re looking for a real, legit heavyweight contender for Tom, maybe I’m a broken record, but it has to be Ngannou,” Hardy said during a recent appearance on Submission Radio. “There isn’t anybody else, really. I don’t see any other fight that truly excites me. I can point at that and say, ‘That’s the heavyweight king.’ And I don’t even think I could say that if it was Jones versus Aspinall at this point, because I don’t feel like Jones is — I mean, he’s potentially number three in the heavyweight division right now, behind Ngannou and Aspinall.

“You have to admit, though, someone else in Tom Aspinall’s position might just say, ‘Hey, give me Pereira. Let’s just fight now,’ because that would bring so much money,” Hardy continued. “But he wants the tougher fight in Jon Jones, and if Francis Ngannou were around, he’d want the tougher fight in Francis Ngannou. So it’s one of those things where we should reward the guys that deserve to be rewarded.”

The topic of Pereira moving up another division has long been a prominent topic. And it’ll no doubt return to the surface should he dispatch of Magomed Ankalaev for a fourth successful light heavyweight title defense this weekend at UFC 313.

Ngannou, meanwhile, emerged victorious from his PFL debut last October. He’s expected to next return to the boxing ring.

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PFL standout Dakota Ditcheva was left spooked after an unexpected encounter with a fan.

Ditcheva’s star has grown no end in recent times. After establishing herself as one to watch with success in the PFL Europe regional expansion in 2023, “Dangerous” proved herself on the global stage.

The 26-year-old striking specialist most recently steamrolled through former UFC title challenger Taila Santos to remain undefeated and capture the 2024 PFL women’s flyweight title.

With that, Ditcheva has significantly grown her fanbase. But one supporter recently showed too much enthusiasm.

During a video uploaded to her YouTube channel late last month, Ditcheva detailed her time in Dubai for the PFL Champions Series event in January. At one point, the British fighter spoke to the camera and described an interaction with a fan at the hotel she was staying at.

The individual, who outlined that he’d been “looking” for her, discovered Ditcheva’s location from a post on her Instagram Story that featured the hotel’s branding.

“On the way back from breakfast, then somebody had seen that I was in this hotel on Instagram,” Ditcheva said. “It’s my fault because I put a photo on of that board, the chocolate board that they brought to my room. I put it on my Instagram Story…I don’t normally share my location until I’ve gone.”

Despite the fan being friendly, Ditcheva admitted the experience had still ‘freaked her out’.

“Stupidly, I did that and I just got approached on the way back from breakfast, which was fine, I love for you guys to come up and say hi and things like that, but when I’m on my own, it freaks me out a little bit,” Ditcheva continued. “He said he’d seen me on Instagram and he’d been DM-ing me and was basically looking for me. He was dead excited to see me, which is really nice and he was a really nice guy, but it does freak me out a little.

“It’s always lovely to meet you guys, but when I’m on my own and I haven’t got my brother or my mum with me, it does just scare me a little bit,” she concluded.

Ditcheva’s incident comes soon after tennis star Emma Raducanu’s harrowing stalking experience. The 2021 US Open champion was said to have been followed across four countries by a man whose behavior was described as being ‘fixated’ on Raducanu.

The individual was handed a restraining order after the British tennis player spotted him in the crowd at a recent championship in Dubai.

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About a week ago, some fake rumors started to circulate online that one of the big match-ups at UFC 309 could be at risk. Any claims that Charles Oliveira had suffered an injury ahead of his co-main event clash with Michael Chandler on November 16 were cleared up before fight week had begun for the promotion’s return to Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.

Chandler was even asked about this during his recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show where he stated that he wasn’t sure where the rumor started. For some fans, they may have assumed this to be true after seeing fighters like Renato Moicano posting on social media to say that they would be willing to step in on short notice.

“Do Bronx” has had two notable fights either cancelled or postponed in recent times with the most significant one being his rematch with Islam Makhachev at UFC 294 last year. The former lightweight champion suffered a cut above his eye less than two weeks out from the fight and the match-up wasn’t booked again once Oliveira was back in fighting shape.

Instead, the featherweight champion at the time, Alexander Volkanovski, stepped in to his place for a rematch with Makhachev that didn’t go his way. It’s become a consistent joke on social media ever since last October that whenever a fighter pulls out, Volkanovski is waiting by the phone with his gloves and luggage already in hand.

In his recent breakdown of the fights on his YouTube channel, “The Great” joked that after he heard the rumors that Oliveira was injured, he would offer to replace him once again.

“I did see things popping up where Charles was out maybe they needed a replacement, it must have just been okay that’s why you can never believe what you see on the internet. I almost put my hand up, almost, but I didn’t but yeah. Probably because we knew that wasn’t the case. If the UFC called, you never know right.”    

Continue Reading UFC 309: Volkanovski Jokes That He Nearly Offered To Fight Amid Injury Rumor at MMA News.

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Conor McGregor refuted any involvement in the sexual assault allegations during his courtroom testimony.

“The Notorious” is currently at the center of a serious sexual assault case, with accusations from Dublin-based hairdresser Nikita Hand, who has also implicated a person named James Lawrence in the ordeal.

As per a recent report by the Irish Mirror, McGregor testified at the High Court in Dublin on Wednesday, addressing a civil lawsuit in which he is accused by Hand of raping her in a penthouse suite at the Beacon Hotel in Sandyford, Dublin on Dec. 9, 2018.

For the first time during the ongoing trial, the former two-division UFC champion took the stand on Wednesday. He testified that his encounter with Hand was entirely consensual, following prior online conversations, and firmly denied ever coercing anyone into an act against their will.

“Your client is full of lies,” McGregor said to Hand’s lawyer. “Everything is a lie.”

McGregor also categorically rejected any claims of inflicting bruising on Hand. The UFC icon was accused of restraining her on the bed, with the alleged victim unable to fight back. However, the Irishman’s defense team has consistently argued that the accuser is attempting to exploit the situation and profit from a distorted version of events.

Hand has claimed that on the evening in dispute, she was with McGregor and that his behavior grew progressively aggressive after they went to the hotel room following a Christmas party. She stated that she and a woman named Danielle had consumed drugs and alcohol offered by the UFC fighter.

The allegations in question first emerged in December 2018, but no charges were brought against McGregor until January 2021, following a two-year investigation by Irish authorities. Despite the lengthy probe, McGregor was not prosecuted.

However, a personal injury lawsuit was filed in the same month, and in October 2023, a civil trial date was set, with Hand now seeking an undisclosed sum in damages.

• Read More: Daniel Cormier Explains Why He Avoids Interviewing Conor McGregor

Continue Reading Conor McGregor Defends Against Sexual Assault Allegations In Courtroom Testimony at MMA News.

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Jake Paul is just days away from facing off against Mike Tyson this Saturday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. But even as he prepares for this high-profile fight, he’s already eyeing his next challenge: Canelo Alvarez.

As a pro, Paul has a record of 10-1 with seven knockouts, with many of his wins coming against YouTubers and former MMA fighters. If he manages to defeat Tyson, Paul plans to call out Alvarez, who is fresh off a dominant win over Edgar Berlanga in September.

“I do (have a callout). It’s Canelo,” Paul said. “This moment will prove that I’m the face of boxing, the biggest attraction. Me vs. Canelo at 200 pounds for the cruiserweight championship of the world is the biggest fight—arguably even bigger than me vs. Tyson. It just makes sense. Canelo is on his way out, and he’ll want a payday. I want to show the world that all the talk about me beating Canelo is real.”

Paul believes he can pull off what he calls “the biggest upset in the sport of boxing.” He’s determined to challenge Alvarez as a way to settle who is the true “face of boxing.”

“After this event, I’m going to claim that title,” he said. “I beat his gate record in Texas; I’m beating ticket sales—all of that. The numbers and the data back it up. I have more followers than him, and this will be the most-watched fight of the century. I’m going to be the new money magnet.”

Continue Reading Jake Paul Eyes ‘Biggest Upset’ In Boxing Fight With Canelo Alvarez at MMA News.

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Brandon Moreno is determined to reclaim UFC gold but acknowledges that the journey back to the top may be more challenging than winning it initially. Moreno first clashed with Deiveson Figueiredo for the flyweight title at UFC 256, ending in a draw. He claimed the title in their rematch at UFC 263 in June 2021 via submission. However, he lost the belt to Figueiredo in a close decision at UFC 270. Moreno rebounded with an interim title win over Kai Kara-France at UFC 277 by TKO and unified the flyweight title in a trilogy fight with Figueiredo at UFC 283, winning via TKO.

In July 2023, Moreno lost the title to Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 290 by split decision, followed by another decision loss to Brandon Royval in February 2024. Earlier this month, he bounced back with a decision win over Amir Albazi.

In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Moreno affirmed his commitment to reclaiming the championship and believes he has what it takes to wear the belt again. “Being very honest with myself, I think that, sporting-wise, Royval is likely the one who most deserves the opportunity,” Moreno said. “I have no problem saying that at all. He’s done a very good job, and in his last fight against Tatsuro (Taira), he looked very good. It was a great fight.”

He added, “There’s also Kai (Kara-France), but he’s in a weird position. He deserves it after his knockout against (Steve) Erceg, but I think my performance was very good, and Royval is right there, too. Kai has the most awkward position.”

Moreno acknowledged that he likely needs one more fight to earn his title shot. “As far as names, there’s Tatsuro Taira, Manel Kape, and maybe Kai Asakura, depending on his fight with Pantoja at UFC 310,” he said. “I’m just going to stay healthy and be ready for whatever comes next.”

Continue Reading Brandon Moreno Eyes Potential Fights On Path To Reclaim UFC Title at MMA News.

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Jon Jones returns in the main event of UFC 309 this Saturday night for what is just his second outing as a heavyweight. During his incredible light heavyweight title run, “Bones” was always one of the hardest fighters to predict or prepare for because he’s so good everywhere.

Opponents could watch as much tape as humanly possible but ultimately, there’s no way to experience what it’s like to share the Octagon with the consensus greatest of all time other than physically being in there with him. This is even more true since he moved to heavyweight because of the lack of footage that is out there of him.

His heavyweight debut at UFC 285 against Ciryl Gane ended in just over two minutes so we still don’t really know how good Jones is at heavyweight. This creates a problem for Stipe Miocic and his team when it comes to strategizing for November 16.

In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Jones’ long-time striking coach Brandon Gibson spoke about what he would do if he found himself in their opposition’s shoes and had to plan for a fight against the heavyweight champion. Suffice to say that Gibson is glad that he’s on this side of the Octagon rather than the other.

“That team at Strong Style, obviously they’ve built a lot of great fighters and built Stipe into an incredible champ so I’m not gonna presume what I believe their game plan would be. I think through Jon’s 16 championship fights and 27 fights total that you could definitely plot little elements here and there of when Jon has been hit or hit clean. I think it’s very hard to replicate and to duplicate.

“You know if I were them, I would just be training Stipe to be the best Stipe out there. We’re anticipating him to come out aggressive like he has shown in the past and on the other hand, if I were to coach against Jon Jones, I think that’s the hardest puzzle as a coach in this entire sport to solve. Nobody has solved it yet and I think they’re the ones with their hands full.”     

Continue Reading Jon Jones’ Coach Predicts Stipe Miocic’s Approach For UFC 309 at MMA News.

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Jake Paul is just days away from facing off against Mike Tyson this Saturday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The highly anticipated fight will air live exclusively on Netflix.

Tyson initially retired from boxing in 2005 after a loss to Kevin McBride, in which he failed to answer the bell for the seventh round. Now, he’s stepping back into the ring for his first professional bout in 19 years.

Paul has boldly predicted a knockout victory over the legendary boxer, though he acknowledges it might be a “bittersweet” achievement. “When it happens, it’s going to be a little bittersweet because I have love for him, but at the current moment, we’re meant to go to war,” Paul said. “He’s trying to take the food off my plate, and I’m trying to take the food off of his plate—that’s what warriors do.”

Reflecting on the significance of the fight, Paul sees it as the culmination of his 12-year career across entertainment and now boxing. “I dreamed this, manifested it, and this fight will mark the start of my career in boxing. This is my moment to shine, and I’m going to show the world who I am,” Paul continued.

“Everyone’s doubted me. Everyone’s had something to say. Nothing was ever given to me; I’ve had to work for it all. I’ve been kicked off YouTube, kicked off platforms, canceled five times, and here I am, throwing the biggest event in entertainment. Now, this moment proves to the world what hard work and perseverance can do. I’m just happy to show that to other kids who may face adversity and need to keep proving themselves.”

As a pro, he has gone 10-1 with seven knockouts against opponents. Many of those wins have come over YouTubers and former MMA fighters.

Continue Reading Jake Paul Guarantees KO Win Over Mike Tyson: ‘It’s Already Written’ at MMA News.

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Following his successful return to MMA last month, it isn’t clear yet what Francis Ngannou’s next step will be. There was a lot of pressure and emotion surrounding his long awaited PFL debut against Renan Ferreira.

Not only was Ngannou coming off his first knockout loss where he was stopped by Anthony Joshua in his second boxing match, the former UFC heavyweight champion was motivated to return to competition in the memory of his late son Kobe. Getting his hand raised in the PFL by any means neccesary was his primary focus but after dominating Ferreira and finishing him in the first round, there isn’t a clear next challenge for him in MMA.

Even with a record of 0-2, there are still some big fights left for Ngannou in the boxing world and though it might not be on the same level as his fights with Tyson Fury or Joshua, a meeting with Deontay Wilder would still be a big draw even if both men are coming off of knockout losses in the ring.

Wilder was finished in the fifth round by Zhilei Zhang in June in what looked like could be the final outing of his 48-fight career. “The Bronze Bomber” recently revealed in an interview with TMZ that he’s working towards a return after taking some time off.

“The best is yet to come, I always say that. We’re still going, we’re still here, you know what I mean we just getting things together man. I’m just handling a lot of things, I had a lot of outside distractions that I had to get rid of.”

Wilder also spoke about the potential of facing Ngannou next time out, sending his potential opponent a message of support after the difficult year he has gone through.

“Even since I’ve been off and stuff like that, it’s been a lot of offers coming in, a lot of things, different countries and stuff like that and even with Francis, what’s up brother. I hope everything’s going good for you man and I’m sorry for your loss. I can only imagine what it’s like to lose a child man, I never hope to even feel that feeling of it but I wish, I hope life is going beautifully for you bro and yeah, that’s a conversation I’m still looking to getting in the mix and talk about.”

Continue Reading Deontay Wilder Welcomes Francis Ngannou Clash After Dismissing Retirement Calls at MMA News.

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