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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

The octagon will return to the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Aug. 3, this time for a Fight Night event, the UFC announced Wednesday.

The event will mark UFC’s first non-pay-per-view show in the United Arab Emirates since the pandemic days, when Abu Dhabi was the sole location to hold UFC card outside of Las Vegas. In total, the UFC held eight Fight Nights and three numbered shows in t he UAE in a span of five months.

The promotion has yet to announce the main event attraction.

Islam Makhachev headlined the last UFC trip to Abu Dhabi in October, with the lightweight champion knocking out then-featherweight titleholder Alexander Volkanovski in just over there minutes in the main event of UFC 294. Khamzat Chimaev defeated short-notice replacement Kamaru Usman in the co-main event.

Other than the Miami pay-per-view this upcoming weekend and regular cards in Las Vegas, the UFC is currently scheduled to hold events in Atlantic City, Rio de Janeiro, St. Louis, Newark and Riyadh between March and June 2024.

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Returning for his second consecutive pay-per-view card of the year, veteran color-commenator, Joe Rogan will be joined in a three-man booth for the first time this year by Hall of Fame inductee and former two-weight champion, Daniel Cormier – with the duo calling the action at UFC 299 alongside play-by-play lead, Jon Anik,

Returning to flagship duty last month in Anaheim, California, Rogan was joined by the above-mentioned Anik and former undisputed middleweight champion, and Hall of Fame star, MIchael Bisping – who replaced Cormier, with the trio watching on as Ilia Topuria snatched featherweight gold from dominant kingpin, Alexander Volkanovski. 

And ahead of UFC 299 this weekend, MMA Junkie have revealed Joe Rogan will be joined in the commentary booth by usual suspects, Anik, and the returning Cormier to call the action in ‘The Sunshine State’.

Joe Rogan joins Daniel Cormier and Jon Anik at UFC 299

Headlining the flagship card is an undisputed bantamweight title fight between divisional champion, Sean O’Malley – and incoming title challenger, Ecuadorian favorite, Marlon Vera in a title rematch. Surging divisional contender, Merab Dvalishvili was also confirmed as the official backup fighter to this weekend’s main event to boot. 

As far as desk duties go – former light heavyweight and middleweight title challenger, Chael Sonnen joins light heavyweight contender, Anthony Smith, and veteran boxing coach, Teddy Atlas. 

Returning to schedule, fan-favorite roving reporter, Megan Olivi returns and takes duty to provide updates and real-time interviews with athletes and personalities during and post-fight and card. Furthermore, veteran Octagon announcer, Bruce Buffer joins the broadcast for UFC 299 this weekend. 

Also set to feature on the heralded card at the Kaseya Center is a high-stakes lightweight co-main event – scheduled to take place over the course of five rounds, with former interim titleholder, Dustin Poirier taking on the surging French contender, Benoit Saint-Denis. 

Former undisputed champions, Petr Yan and Rafael dos Anjos also return on the card – taking on contenders, Song Yadong, and Mateusz Gamrot respectively.

Are you happy to hear Joe Rogan call the action at UFC 299 this weekend?

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

UFC

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

Since the first day Curtis Blaydes arrived in the UFC, the heavyweight title has almost always been under duress for one reason or another.

Whether the belt was tied up in the Stipe Miocic vs. Daniel Cormier trilogy or Francis Ngannou was at odds with the UFC over his contract, the path to a shot at heavyweight gold has always been filled with obstacles. The latest instance involves the injury Jon Jones suffered that prevented him from fighting Miocic this past November, and the UFC ultimately crowning Tom Aspinall as an interim champion in his absence.

Since that time, Aspinall has repeatedly called for a chance to unify the titles, however the UFC has made it clear that Jones remains on a collision course with Miocic sometime in 2024. As much as that scenario once again muddies the waters at heavyweight, perennial top-five contender Curtis Blaydes understands why that’s happening.

“That’s just the nature of the beast,” Blaydes told MMA Fighting. “It’s a business. We get it. Jon Jones vs. Stipe right now, without either of them having another potential [loss], is the biggest heavyweight fight of the century. It really is. The UFC’s going to do everything to preserve that. I get it. That’s how the business grows. It’s good for the UFC overall. The more money they make, the more money everybody makes.

“I think Aspinall understands, that’s why he stopped asking. He understands this is just business. It’s not that they don’t believe he’s a good matchup for Jon. It’s that he’s not going to get as many pay-per-view buys as Stipe. That’s just what it is. I get it. I feel for him.”

As Miocic approaches 42 years of age after sitting out since suffering a knockout loss to Ngannou in 2021, an argument could easily be made that Aspinall would actually be a tougher fight for Jones at this stage of his career.

As much as that narrative may get pushed, Blaydes scoffs at the idea that Jones would take the fight with Miocic simply to avoid a showdown with Aspinall.

“Jon’s not scared of nobody,” Blaydes said. “He’s not scared of Aspinall. He’s going after Stipe. Stipe is the scariest heavyweight of the past 15 odd years. He’s going after him. I don’t think he’s scared or nothing.

“It’s about money. I can’t blame him, especially if this is going to be his last one. Get the bag and then bounce.”

Of course, Blaydes has his own history with Aspinall after they briefly met in a main event fight in London back in July 2022. On that night, Blaydes won after Aspinall suffered a devastating knee injury that ended his night just 15 seconds into the opening round.

Despite owning a win over Aspinall on his record, Blaydes doesn’t bloviate about that fight or use it as a way to jab at the current UFC interim heavyweight champion. Instead, the 33-year-old former college wrestler prefers to look at his brief history with Aspinall as unfinished business — and a rematch he’d absolutely like to pursue.

“I don’t even brag about that win,” Blaydes said. “I don’t tell people, ‘Oh, I beat Aspinall!’ I don’t really. That’s not how I feel about it. It’s not one of those I can brag about. I’d like to get a braggable win though. I would like that.

“Had it gone the other way, I wouldn’t respect him if he was bragging that he beat me. I’m like, ‘You didn’t beat me, I got injured,’ and that’s how I view it. I know it’s a win for me and a loss for him, but it can be beneath the numbers, I view it as an incomplete.”

As he prepares to face Jailton Almeida at UFC 299 on Saturday, Blaydes understands the volatile nature of the heavyweight division might actually favor him this time around.

Because he has a past history with Aspinall, Blaydes could potentially jump to the front of the line with a win over Almeida. Given that — and Jones vs. Miocic effectively making Aspinall the odd man out — Blaydes could slot right in as an opponent for Aspinall’s interim heavyweight title if he gets past Almeida.

That being said, Blaydes can’t state with any amount of certainty that the scenario will actually unfold because it’s just impossible to predict what happens next.

“I win, it’s not in stone,” Blaydes said. “Brock Lesnar could pop out of the blue. This is the UFC. I know who I am. I know how the UFC views me. I know how they view other guys. Other guys with accents. I know how it is. There’s no guarantee for anything beyond this fight. Hell, I could win and get released. I’ve seen crazier things happen, so I don’t look beyond Almeida at all.”

Blaydes confesses that he’s come to understand his status in the UFC hierarchy and he’s not really complaining about it because it does him no good. That doesn’t mean he likes the way the sport has swung so vehemently towards the loudest guys in the room getting the most attention, but he also knows there’s really nothing he can do about it.

“[UFC views me] as not a star,” Blaydes said. “I don’t have that personality like the [Israel Adesanyas] and the Paddy [Pimbletts]. I don’t talk smack. I don’t do a lot of self-promotion. I don’t do that stuff. I understand the opportunities I pass on by not being like those guys. That’s just not who I am and I’m not going to force it. I get it. It’s OK. The money’s good. I’m happy with just the money. I don’t need the prestige and all that stuff.

“Don’t hate the player, hate the game. I hate the game. I hate that’s how you have to get rewarded, but I don’t have to play that. I don’t hate [Conor] McGregor. It worked out for him. It usually works out for the loudmouths, the big mouths. As long as you’re winning and you’ve got a loud mouth, it usually works out.”

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Merab Dvalishvili has pretty officially secured a UFC Bantamweight title shot. It took ten consecutive wins and three victories over former world champions to do so, but “The Machine” should be expected to face the winner of Sean O’Malley vs. Marlon Vera at some point later this year.

Maybe the wait won’t be so long? Earlier on Tuesday, his management revealed that Dvalishvili was heading to Miami, Florida for UFC 299 to weigh in as the official back up fighter for the main event Bantamweight title fight. If something happens in the next few days to either O’Malley or Vera, Dvalishvili should be expected to replace the missing party and fight for a world title.

It’s a great opportunity for Dvalishvili, one that solidifies his title shot and should earn him a paycheck as well. However, it comes at a cost. Dvalishvili performed very well in his last performance at UFC 298 against Henry Cejudo, but there were rumors that the Georgian suffered a difficult weight cut prior to the bout. Just three weeks later, he’ll again be sweating it out in the sauna in pursuit of the 135-pound limit, and we’ve seen double weight cuts ruin performances in the past.

Most likely, the UFC 299 main event stays together without incident, but it’s an interesting story to watch as fight day approaches.

Insomnia

Who will fight for the Flyweight title at UFC 301? The division is in such an odd state.

It’s a family affair.

A beautiful throw.

There is simply zero chance that Song Yadong vs. Petr Yan doesn’t blow the roof off Miami.

Wearing the PINK and gold befitting a champion!

Speaking of the UFC 299 main event, Cory Sandhagen’s prediction and breakdown is as good as any!

Khabib one upped! I hope this lion had a good life, but … I doubt it.

A breakdown of a signature Dvalishvili takedown:

Slips, rips, and KO clips

The ref gave her a chance, but this might as well be a liver kick walk off KO.

This is a d’arce choke, not an anaconda, but it is slick!

I don’t feel like the modern fight fan appreciates Eddie Wineland enough — a Bantamweight pioneer with a great career that lasted many years and many knockout wins!

Random Land

For informational purposes only.

Midnight Music: Blues, 1961

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

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