Khamzat Chimaev continues his unbeaten run inside the octagon and now has a record of 13-0. With his outstanding form of late, rumors are circulating that the prospect will be fighting for Leon Edwards’ title next time out.
‘Borz’ most recently outworked Kamaru Usman at UFC 294 to earn the majority decision victory. Despite fighting just once in 17 months, the 29-year-old believes he’s within touching distance of a title shot and that could come when he next steps into the cage.
Per Ariel Helwani, UFC 300 could be headlined by a blockbuster matchup between Leon Edwards and Khamzat Chimaev. This would be ‘Rocky’s third defense of the 170 lbs title and Chimaev’s first attempt at securing UFC gold.
🚨| According to @arielhelwani, the UFC’s top choice for the #UFC300 main event would be Leon Edwards vs. Khamzat Chimaev.
Other bouts in contention include:
Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya DDP vs. Chimaev Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad
The current holdup is Chimaev’s lack… pic.twitter.com/XGMrc8ejq7
— MMA Orbit (@mma_orbit) February 12, 2024
Originally, Edwards was rumored to face the deserved number-one contender, Belal Muhammad—with reports even suggesting a clash against Khabib Nurmagomedov could be in the works.
Related: Javier Mendez reacts to Khabib Nurmagomedov fighting at UFC 300 rumors
UFC 300 is still without a main event and could well be headlined by the defending welterweight king. Israel Adesanya, Conor McGregor, and other huge names have also been linked with the coveted spot on the card.
As quickly as fans began opening up to the idea of Leon Edwards vs. Khamzat Chimaev, the bout has been shut down. As stated by Chimaev himself, he will not step in to face the Brit at UFC 300 as he isn’t willing to compete during Ramadan.
🚨| Khamzat Chimaev replies to a fan on Instagram saying he will NOT headline #UFC300 as he does not want to fight during Ramadan.#UFC300 #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/D9hrmS0zSd
— MMA Orbit (@mma_orbit) February 12, 2024
Ramadan is a religious holiday followed by Muslims around the world. It will span from March 10, 2024 – April 9, 2024, meaning Muslim athletes will likely be at a disadvantage leading into the event.
UFC 300 is already poised to be one of the greatest shows in the promotion’s history. It will feature a number of high-level competitors and numerous current and former champions. The pay-per-view will get underway on April 13 at the T-Mobile Arena in Nevada.
Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
UFC 300 is expected to deliver a loaded lineup for the promotion’s historic April event.
Following one of the most chaotic years in recent memory, the UFC will bring UFC 300 to its home base of Las Vegas on April 13. UFC CEO Dana White has promised one of the most stacked, and perhaps, unpredictable lineups in company history.
With four title fights already on the books for the first quarter of the year, including Sean Strickland vs. Dricus Du Plessis for the middleweight title, and Mayra Bueno Silva vs. Raquel Pennington for the vacant women’s bantamweight title at UFC 297, Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria for the featherweight title at UFC 298, and Sean O’Malley vs. Marlon Vera for the bantamweight title at UFC 299, there’s a number of directions the UFC could go in terms of booking potential blockbuster fights.
Will UFC 300 mark the long awaited return of the sport’s biggest star in Conor McGregor? Time will tell as the countdown to UFC 300 is officially on.
For now, keep this page bookmarked: We’ll have a rundown of every fight announced, rumors, athletes raising their hands and calling their shots, and more.
Current UFC 300 fight card:
Zhang Weili vs. Yan Xiaonan
Justin Gaethje vs. Max Holloway — BMF title fight
Charles Oliveira vs. Arman Tsarukyan
Kayla Harrison vs. Holly Holm
Aljamain Sterling vs. Calvin Kattar
Jiri Prochazka vs. Aleksandar Rakic
Cody Garbrandt vs. Deiveson Figueiredo
Jim Miller vs. Bobby Green
Bo Nickal vs. Cody Brundage
Sodiq Yusuff vs. Diego Lopes
Jessica Andrade vs. Marina Rodriguez
Feb. 14: Alexander Volkanovski to the rescue?
Alexander Volkanovski throws his hat into the ring.
With UFC 300 still lacking a main event, on Wednesday, at UFC 298 Media Day, the featherweight champion offered to step in and save the day just like he did at UFC 294 when he came in on short notice to rematch Islam Makhachev.
“I think they’re struggling still — maybe, it seems like they could be, I don’t know, wherever they are — with UFC 300. I know a guy!” Volkanovski said. “There’s plenty of time. Just so you know that. Just in case there’s anything happening. Dana, Hunter, you know a guy. I’m going to go do business, ruin someone’s party — or a few people’s party — and then I can come save the day, like I always do.”
Volkanovski faces Ilia Topuria in the main event of UFC 298 this Saturday.
Feb. 13: Main event reveal at UFC 298?
The winner of the UFC 300 main event sweepstakes could be announced on Saturday, according to UFC CEO Dana White.
White told longtime MMA columnist Kevin Iole that the headliner of the April 13 pay-per-view could “probably” be announced at the post-fight presser for UFC 298 on Saturday at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
“Maybe I’ll announce it this weekend at the press conference,” White told Iole.
Fans, media and fighters have anxiously awaited the main event announcement for UFC 300. Many fumed when White didn’t announce the fight during the Super Bowl and speculated that a filming obligation he said would take him away from the game in the first quarter was linked to the headliner.
UFC heavyweight champ Jon Jones recently told Submission Radio he was offered the main event but turned it down because he wanted more time to recover from a pec injury that took him out of a title defense against Stipe Miocic at UFC 295.
Feb. 12: Four fluid options for main event
The main event has not been announced, and according to Ariel Helwani, things “couldn’t be more fluid” for what could close the show for UFC 300. Still, some options are being discussed.
On Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour, Helwani discussed what he’s been hearing about what may take the coveted main event spot. He reiterated multiple times that the options do not constitute an official report.
Two of the options have already been at play at certain points for the card — Dricus du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya, and Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad. But the latter is believed to be the last resort in terms of what the promotion would like to put together, Helwani said.
The other options on the table include Khamzat Chimaev potentially challenging for either the welterweight title against Edwards or the middleweight title against du Plessis.
Again, to make it crystal clear, Helwani said nothing is done, nothing is agreed to, or in the works, or targeted at the moment. But it appears as if all four of those fights could be on the table.
UPDATE: Khamzat Chimaev looks forward to fighting again soon, but it doesn’t appear he’ll be returning at UFC 300.
The undefeated Chechen addressed his future when speaking to MMA Uncensored on Monday. It turns out bad timing will likely prevent his involvement with UFC 300 from happening, as Chimaev observes Ramadan, which starts on March 10 and ends on April 9. Ramadan requires fasting, including no food or water whatsoever, during daytime hours.
With UFC 300 taking place just four days after Ramadan ends, Chimaev says he’s just not interested in that particular date.
“I will fight everybody,” Chimaev said. “Leon [Edwards], [Dricus] du Plessis, anyone, but not [during] Ramadan. I think Ramadan [is during] UFC 300. Not fighting in Ramadan anymore.”
Feb. 11: Conor McGregor changes course again
A new day and a different Conor McGregor tweet.
After putting out on social media that the Super Bowl would feature some sort of UFC 300 announcement just 24 hours prior, McGregor said his return date would be this upcoming summer instead of April 13 for the milestone event. McGregor has repeatedly targeted June 29 for International Fight Week for his next trip to the Octagon, but Dana White said the star’s return would likely be “in the fall.”
Super Bowl Sunday is one of the biggest sporting days for my friends in the States, second only to the Mac’s return to the octagon this summer! Good luck to the 49ers and the Chiefs, leave something in Vegas for me. pic.twitter.com/eoqoby688B
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) February 11, 2024
Feb. 10: Conor McGregor planting more seeds for Super Bowl Sunday announcement?
With the UFC 300 main event spot currently remains empty and unknown, Conor McGregor is certainly doing his part to keep people guessing.
McGregor, who announced on New Year’s Eve that his expected fight with Michael Chandler would take place June 29 during International Fight Week, took a moment on Saturday to tease that an announcement about the headliner for the highly anticipated April event could come as early as this Sunday at the Super Bowl. McGregor’s hint came on his Instagram stories with a video of Dana White announcing the sport’s biggest star during one of the press conferences ahead of his boxing match with Floyd Mayweather.
Earlier this week, White told Pat McAfee that there’s no date locked down for McGregor’s return to the octagon against Chandler, and that it hopefully happens “in the fall.”
Feb. 10: Dana White teases two more fights still to be announced
The UFC 300 card is nearly finalized, but the most important fight hasn’t been announced as the main event remains a mystery.
UFC CEO Dana White promised that his team is hard at work getting that fight booked, along with one other marquee matchup that he hopes to finalize as soon as possible.
“Who knows who’s going to be the UFC 300 headliner,” White said after Friday’s Power Slap event in Las Vegas. “We’ve been working on it. It’s been interesting, I can tell you that. Because obviously we want to deliver. I keep saying this [Deiveson] Figueiredo vs. Cody Garbrandt is literally the first fight of the night. So if you look at the card where it sits today, every single fight could be a main event on a Fight Night or a pay-per-view.
“We’ve got two more fights that we’ve got to put together. We’re working on it.”
White admits that booking the main event hasn’t been easy, and if the fight was already done, he wouldn’t be keeping it a secret. As it stands, White can’t announce anything because a deal hasn’t been struck for the headliner, but he hopes to get that done soon.
“I’d announce it now if we had it,” White said. “We’ve gone through a lot of crazy s*** trying to put this fight together. It’s been interesting. No date [to announce it]. ASAP is the date.”
Feb. 8: Dana White announces event’s opening bout
UFC CEO Dana White is still trying to put together the main event for UFC 300, but he announced what fight will kick off the massive April pay-per-view card, and it’s a battle between former UFC champs.
While doing a slew of interviews on Radio Row during Super Bowl week, White revealed that the bantamweight bout between Deiveson Figueiredo and Cody Garbrandt will start the show at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
“Every fight on the card could be either the main event of a Fight Night or a pay-per-view,” White told the Las Vegas Review Journal on Wednesday. “We are opening the card… the first prelim of the night is Garbrandt vs. Figueiredo, what does that tell you?”
Figueiredo, the former flyweight titleholder, makes his second bantamweight appearance. In his first bout since moving up to 135, Figueiredo delivered a fantastic performance in a unanimous decision victory over Rob Font.
After losing five of six, Garbrandt has won two straight, including a first-round knockout victory against Brian Kelleher at UFC 296 in December. A win will likely put the former bantamweight champion back in the top-10 of the division.
Feb. 1: Israel Adesanya teases return at UFC 300 with social media post
Whether or not Israel Adesanya is going to fight at UFC 300 or not, he has certainly caused a bit of a stir on social media.
The former two-time UFC middleweight champion posted to his Instagram story a graphic with a poster from the movie “300,” saying simply, “The gods must be crazy.”
Check out an image of the post below.
After Dricus du Plessis captured the middleweight title at UFC 297 with a split decision win over Sean Strickland, speculation has been running rampant that the long-awaited du Plessis vs. Adesanya matchup was right there to headline UFC 300. As of now, no main event has been announced for the card, but UFC CEO Dana White has been teasing a “crazy” announcement for the past week.
Jan. 30: Dana White poses in front of UFC 300 matchmaker board
As of Jan. 29, there is no UFC 300 main event. But the event’s bout order appears to be shaping up.
During a video shot by UFC influencer Nina Drama, UFC CEO Dana White posed in front of the matchmaking board for the April 13 pay-per-view event – and it’s still TBD vs. TBD at the top of the card.
According to the bout order posted, it appears Kayla Harrison’s bantamweight UFC debut will headline the event’s preliminary card. The main card is as follows:
TBD vs. TBD
Zhang Weili vs. Yan Xiaonan
Justin Gaethje vs. Max Holloway — BMF title fight
Charles Oliveira vs. Arman Tsarukyan
Jiri Prochazka vs. Aleksandar Rakic
Drama turned the mystery into a social media play, with White reportedly promising to get dosed by Crisco vegetable oil if the post got 10,000 comments and he didn’t announce the main event this week.
From Nina’s IG, this is how the board shows UFC 300. pic.twitter.com/7XC9ibI7Jr
Strike another legend off the potential list of surprises that could take place at UFC 300.
Former welterweight champion and all-time pound-for-pound great Georges St-Pierre addressed rumors of a comeback at a recent Q&A Thailand, shutting down the possibility of making a return to the octagon on April 13. Or ever.
“It’s a rumor, I’ve never been offered for a fight,” St-Pierre said (h/t Bloody Elbow). “I’ve made that clear that I have no desire of coming back to fight in mixed martial arts.”
It’s unclear where the chatter came from that “GSP” would consider competing for the UFC after retiring in 2017, but St-Pierre flatly denied the rumor, noting that he’s focusing now on the occasional grappling match. St-Pierre was supposed to hit the mats with old rival Nick Diaz at a UFC Fight Pass Invitational event this past December, but was forced to withdraw due to injury.
Suffice to say, the door is firmly closed on ever seeing a GSP MMA fight again.
“I’m 42 years old,” St-Pierre said. “I’m not the same person I used to be when I was competing. There was a time I had an incredible drive, I wanted to become champion. Nothing in the world could stop me. Like mentally, I was unstoppable. I had a crazy, crazy drive. If a door was closed, I was going to open another door. If two doors were closed, I was going to get in by force. I was ready to do almost anything to achieve my goal, but I’m not that person anymore.
“That hunger is gone. When that hunger is gone, I think it’s a sign that you need to retire. Unfortunately a lot of fighters, they don’t follow that sign and they retire too late. I didn’t—I never wanted to be one of those guys.”
Jan. 28: Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler are at it again
Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler are set for a summertime showdown… right?
Fans may be glued to social media for the next little while as McGregor tweeted his interest in UFC 300, with Chandler answering the call shortly after.
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There’s no way to tell what McGregor and the UFC actually have planned as the former two-division champion recently announced himself that he would be fighting Chandler in a middleweight bout on June 29 (the UFC is yet to announce anything officially for McGregor).
Chandler is locked into the matchup, but could McGregor shock the world with a surprise fight at UFC 300 against someone else entirely?
Jan. 26: Dana White promises jaw-dropping main event announcement
Dana White has promised fans that UFC 300 will be as loaded as it can possibly be, and while fans seem to believe the main event could see the rivalry between new champ Dricus du Plessis and Israel Adesanya be settled, perhaps things could trend in a different direction.
Earlier this week on an Instagram live, White said that when it’s announced, fans won’t be ready for it.
“You guys can’t handle the main event,” White said. “We’re working on a couple of different options. Trust me, the UFC 300 main event is going to be crazy.”
Jan. 26: Strawweights take center stage
Another fight has been added to the April 13 lineup as the promotion revealed that former champion Jessica Andrade will remain at strawweight to face Marina Rodriguez.
After both women put vicious beatings on their most recent opponents, both Andrade and Rodriguez will look to get back into title contention in one of the most consistent divisions in the sport.
Jan. 24: Big moves
In a stunning announcement, two-time Olympic champion and two-time PFL champion Kayla Harrison has jumped ship from PFL to face Holly Holm at UFC 300. Harrison, 33, is expected to make her bantamweight debut after fighting her entire MMA career at lightweight and featherweight. Holm, 42, is a former UFC bantamweight champion.
Also joining the card is a battle between featherweight veteran Sodiq Yusuff and MMA Fighting’s 2023 Rookie of the Year Diego Lopes.
Jan. 16: BMF title back up for grabs
In a surprise move, UFC CEO Dana White announced Tuesday that Justin Gaethje is set to defend his BMF title against Max Holloway in a lightweight matchup at UFC 300.
White also announced that Jim Miller will get his wish following his third-round submission of Gabriel Benitez at UFC Vegas 84. The current record-holder for the most bouts and wins in UFC history, Miller faces fellow longtime veteran Bobby Veteran in a lightweight bout on the card, per White. Miller is shooting to become the only fighter to compete at UFC 100, UFC 200, and UFC 300.
Jan. 12: Cody Garbrandt gets his wish
UFC CEO Dana White announced Friday a long-awaited matchup between former champions Cody Garbrandt and Deiveson Figueiredo is the latest addition to UFC 300.
Garbrandt called for a matchup against Figueiredo following his latest knockout win over Brian Kelleher at UFC 296. The two former champions were previously booked to meet in August 2020 with Garbrandt moving down in weight and challenging for Figueiredo’s then-held flyweight title, however Garbrandt was forced to pull out of the contest due to illness.
Now they’ll get a chance to settle their business on one of the biggest cards of the year.
Jan. 13: Jim Miller calls out Paul Felder and Matt Brown following UFC Vegas 84 win
Jim Miller has been linked to UFC 300 for years, and there was another hurdle he needed to leap over, and that was his UFC Vegas 84 bout with Gabriel Benitez. Miller extended his UFC win record with a third-round submission victory, and then turned his attention to the April pay-per-view event.
Following the win, “A-10” showed interest in fighting Paul Felder, who was doing commentary for the event, as well as Matt Brown for a potential shootout on the historic card — along with a hilarious callout of Brock Lesnar.
Miller has to be on the card, and at the end of the day, the opponent doesn’t really matter, but either Felder or Brown would be excellent opponents for the veteran lightweight that competed at both UFC 100 and UFC 200.
Jan. 11: Nate Diaz wants to headline UFC 300 after missing out on UFC 200
Nate Diaz might be interested in coming home again.
After he was originally scheduled to headline UFC 200 against Conor McGregor back in 2016, Diaz now likes the idea of returning to his old stomping grounds to potentially serve as the UFC 300 main event instead.
Diaz took to Twitter on Thursday to tease the possible reunion after hitting free agency following his last fight in the octagon — a win over Tony Ferguson in 2022.
“I was supposed to headline UFC 200,” Diaz wrote. “Headline UFC 300 would be better.”
I was supposed to headline UFC200
Headline UFC300 would be better pic.twitter.com/lBWkn41Ao3
— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) January 11, 2024
The original plan for UFC 200 was to set with McGregor and Diaz squaring off in a rematch but the bout was ultimately delayed until UFC 202 two months later.
Diaz remains on good terms with the promotion with UFC CEO Dana White often saying that he would welcome the Stockton, Calif. native back if he ever wanted to return. As UFC 300 continues to wait on a headliner, Diaz has at least made an offer that his former bosses might have to consider.
Jan. 9: Alex Pereira says he’s ‘back,’ but will it be at UFC 300?
Light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira has been attached to this card already with his math equation that led to remarkable speculation.
Pereira posted to Instagram on Tuesday a photo of himself with the championship wrapped around his waist with a caption of “DE VOLTA,” which translated says “BACK.”
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A post shared by Alex “Poatan” Pereira (@alexpoatanpereira)
While an announcement hasn’t been made in regards to Pereira’s timeline, UFC 300 is currently without a main event, and with Pereira ending 2023 which incredible momentum, the UFC could certainly put “Poatan” in a spot to capitalize on it.
Jan. 7: Dana White announces Charles Oliveira vs. Arman Tsarukyan for UFC 300, confirms Dustin Poirier will be at UFC 299
One former lightweight titleholder has been booked for UFC 300, while another is now set to compete a month earlier.
UFC CEO Dana White officially announced that Charles Oliveira is set to fight Arman Tsarukyan in a bout that is expected to determine the next challenger for lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. In his announcement, White said that he expects Makhachev to return to competition sometime this summer.
White also confirmed that former interim champion Dustin Poirier will not be competing at UFC 300. Poirier had previously shot down the possibility of a fight with Nate Diaz at UFC 300, and he instead fights fast-rising contender Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 299 on March 9. The bout is set for five rounds and is scheduled to be the co-main event, with bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley defending his title against rival Marlon “Chito” Vera in the headliner.
Jan. 4: Dana White says more matchups to be announced soon
During an IG live on Wednesday, UFC CEO Dana White was asked about what else could be on the UFC 300 card.
White, who has been traveling, said that he returns to Las Vegas in the next few days, and that he will be announcing more matchups “on Tuesday.” White didn’t say anything about whether or not the main event, or any of the top-of-the-bill bouts would be announced, but it appears as if the current three-fight slate will be expanding.
Jan. 3: Dustin Poirier rules out Nate Diaz rematch
If Dustin Poirier competes at UFC 300, it won’t be against Conor McGregor or Nate Diaz.
Poirier ruled out a clash with Diaz overnight with “it ain’t happening.” Poirier has been linked to a showdown with Diaz for years now, but for whatever reason, the two fighters have never met in the Octagon.
No it ain’t happening https://t.co/Zwl4SX3jmv
— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) January 2, 2024
Dec. 31: Conor McGregor could be out for UFC 300
Conor McGregor, arguably the UFC’s most popular star, likely won’t compete at the massive event. The former two-division UFC champion has plans to finally fight Michael Chandler during International Fight Week on June 29.
The UFC has yet to announce the fight.
Dec. 31: Leon Edwards puts belt on line at UFC 300
Leon Edwards believes he will compete at UFC 300. The UFC welterweight champion made the announcement during a soccer match and thinks he will return for a summer event in Birmingham, England, as well.
Dec. 23: Nate Diaz comeback?
Nate Diaz’s UFC days might not be done.
In a brief social media post, Diaz teased having interest in returning to the promotion he called home for 15 years, writing, “UFC 300 would be tight but there’s nobody to fight.”
UFC 300 would be tight but there’s nobody to fight
— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) December 23, 2023
Diaz parted ways with the UFC following a win over Tony Ferguson at UFC 279 in September 2022, with the bout marking the expiration of his contract. The split appeared to be an amicable one, despite Diaz occasionally having a contentious relationship with the promotion and UFC CEO Dana White, and the octagon doors have remained open for a Diaz return.
Since parting ways with the UFC, Diaz was able to book a lucrative boxing match against Jake Paul, who defeated Diaz by unanimous decision this past August.
It’s too early to say for sure if Diaz has genuine interest in fighting at UFC 300, but a pair of lightweight contenders have already volunteered their services should he come back. Dustin Poirier not-so-subtly called Diaz out to potentially put the bow on a matchup that was once set to be resolved at UFC 230 before Poirier withdrew due to an injury, and Michael Chandler also mentioned Diaz as an option as he continues his interminable wait for a fight with Conor McGregor.
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Dec. 23: Izzy vs. Khamzat?
Israel Adesanya could fight before 2027 after all. The former UFC middleweight king might also have a dance partner in the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev.
Chimaev, who recently defeated Kamaru Usman at UFC 294, put his hat into the ring for Adesanya with a pair of Instagram slides on Saturday.
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A post shared by Khamzat Chimaev (@khamzat_chimaev)
Dec. 23: Tom Aspinall fans the flames
With Jon Jones on the shelf for the near future, Tom Aspinall doesn’t want to wait until the end of 2024 for his return to the Octagon. He responded to UFC light heavyweight Alex Pereira’s recent math equation with his own graphic on his IG story.
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) December 23, 2023
Dec. 21: Dana White announces first three fights for UFC 300
On Thursday night, UFC CEO Dana White announced the event’s first three fights. Although he didn’t announce the main event, White did reveal that former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling will officially make the move up to featherweight to face the dangerous Calvin Kattar.
Additionally, former light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka will return for the second time in five months following recovery from a shoulder injury and will face Aleksandar Rakic, and super prospect Bo Nickal will make his third octagon appearance against Cody Brundage. White also said he plans to announce more bouts for the card after the new year.
Dec. 21: Alex Pereira’s combat algebra problem, and a possible heavyweight move?
Alex Pereira has already broken the sport (and the way rankings are done) forever. Pereira began 2023 on the receiving end of the probable Knockout of the Year when he lost the middleweight title to Israel Adesanya at UFC 287 in April, only to move up to 205 pounds, beat a former champion, and then capture the vacant title by knocking out Jiri Prochazka at UFC 295. In just seven UFC fights — and 11 pro MMA bouts total — Pereira is a two-division UFC champion. But is that enough?
On Thursday, Pereira went to his Instagram stories and posted a math problem with a thinking emoji that read 30 + 300 = 3. I’m certainly no math expert, but I do know that the answer doesn’t fit in the equation — so what is Pereira trying to say?
Many people believe that Pereira is teasing a move to heavyweight: Gain 30 pounds, fight at UFC 300, win a third divisional title. If that’s what he means, would he fight heavyweight Jon Jones or 30-year-old (!) interim champ Tom Aspinall? Considering what the UFC has been telling us, and just using logic, this doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense. But maybe that’s the beauty of it — a swerve, if you will — to throw people off for this mega card.
Another way you can look at the problem is that Pereira has 30 knockouts in his combat sports career, wants to fight at UFC 300, and maybe the “3” means an MMA trilogy fight with Adesanya. Whatever Pereira is trying to say, it may soon be revealed.
Dec. 17: Dustin Poirier calls out Nate Diaz for UFC 300?
The day after the UFC’s final pay-per-view of the year, Poirier continued to tease competing at UFC 300, before throwing out a name on social media — his longtime rival Nate Diaz.
300
— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) December 17, 2023
Nathaniel?
— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) December 17, 2023
Diaz fought out his UFC contract at UFC 279 in September, where he stopped Tony Ferguson in the main event. Since then, the superstar fighter lost a unanimous decision to Jake Paul in a boxing match in August, and has yet to reveal his next move.
Personally speaking, and with so many factors in play, I doubt Diaz returns for UFC 300, and based on the lay of the land, I’m quite confident Diaz will fight in the first half of 2024 but it won’t be in the UFC. The most notable factor is that Diaz is not on the roster, or a part of the organization in any way. Diaz is a star, and he can make a ton of money competing outside of the octagon, scratching any and all itches in combat sports. While I’ll never say never, given the current lay of the land, I would be shocked if it happens.
Poirier certainly will have other options, including surging contender Arman Tsarukyan, who is fresh off of a 64-second knockout of Beneil Dariush at UFC Austin.
Nov. 7: Dustin Poirier eyes return at UFC 300
In an interview with MMA Fighting, Poirier said that he’s hoping for a fight that excites him, which would include the opportunity to fight at UFC 300.
“My current mindset, I’d fight in six weeks, I’d fight in eight weeks if the fight made sense and I was excited about it,” Poirier told MMA Fighting. “But other than that, I think a chance to fight on UFC 300 is a big deal.
“I’ve been in the UFC since UFC 125 and I missed 200. Know I’m not gonna be around for 400, so it’s kind of a cool opportunity if it comes together, but I honestly have no clue of my my return date or time frame, but UFC 300 is enticing.”
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Welcome to Midnight Mania!
This weekend (Sat. Feb. 17, 2024), UFC Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski seeks to defend his title a sixth time opposite rising star Ilia Topuria in the main event of UFC 298 from Anaheim, California. “The Great” came up short in his last bout to Islam Makhachev in a short-notice Lightweight title shot, but Volkanovski remains Featherweight king and has never tasted defeat at 145 pounds.
So, with that in mind, why is Ilia Topuria taking photos with a UFC title? This is not a rhetorical question … why does Topuria have a belt and why is UFC (presumably?) doing a photoshoot with him holding gold?
The short clip above inspires many such questions. Volkanovski doesn’t seem quite as concerned, however, advising Topuria to “make the most of it” because he “won’t have it after” their actual fight on Saturday night. Afterward, the two were about as friendly and respectful as elite competitors can be.
My best guess is that UFC or Topuria want championship photos without his face bearing the damage that typically comes with winning a belt. Alternatively, Topuria is planning a “Road To The Belt” documentary and has advertised himself on Instagram as a “UFC world champion,” so perhaps this is simply “El Matador” continuing to manifest his way to a championship.
Whatever he’s doing, it’s working so far. Topuria is 14-0 at 27 years of age, and he has a great skill set that is trouble for any man at 145-pounds. Volkanovski isn’t just any man, however, which is why this main event is among the most intriguing in recent memory.
Insomnia
No content I’ve found and no snarky comment I’ve written will ever come close to this masterful bit of accidental comedy. Happy Valentines Day!
Lmao bruh pic.twitter.com/UdK0GFpZj2
— Blaine Henry (@BlaineHenryTFL) February 14, 2024
Is Abubakar the first Nurmagomedov to be released from the UFC?
❌ Fighter removed: Abubakar Nurmagomedov
— UFC Roster Tracker (@RosterTracker) February 14, 2024
There’s a conspiracy on Twitter that Ryan Clark was removed from DC & RC because he was ready for Women’s Bantamweight to get the axe. I could believe it. I could also believe that the show was changed because nobody in their right mind was watching DC & RC.
Ryan Clark announces his departure from the DC&RC show
This happens 1 episode after he said the UFC should get rid of Women’s MMA pic.twitter.com/Q7tHo0Rex3
— Casual MMA (@casualmmainc) February 14, 2024
Brendan Allen (allegedly) couldn’t handle the Dricus Du Plessis banter.
Dricus Du Plessis tells the story of how he had lunch with Brendan Allen one time, and he made a joke about his tattoo.
Brendan Allen’s tattoo says ‘2-7’, and DDP jokingly asked “is that your fight record”
Allen responded with “that’s my daughters birthday”
SmashSports pic.twitter.com/OqoCjLxsVz
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) February 13, 2024
Brothers training together and competing at the highest level under the same banner is always cool to see.
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Like Uma Thurman’s Bride in Quentin Tarantino’s revenge epic Kill Bill, Ian Machado Garry is keeping a list of all those who wronged him, and he absolutely plans on checking off every one.
His main focus at UFC 298 centers around beating Geoff Neal and advancing his ranking in the welterweight division. But the 26-year-old prospect hasn’t forgotten the abhorrent comments aimed at his family in recent months. Garry’s disdain mostly lies with former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland and welterweight contender Colby Covington, both of whom have targeted his wife – and by extension, his son – in social media posts, interviews and press conferences.
As much as he’s enjoyed trash talking his opponents since joining the UFC roster, Garry said there are limits, and he won’t forget how Strickland and Covington crossed the line.
“Listen, we can shoot shots at each other all day long, me and another bloke, but here’s the two things I’ll point out — my wife was called a pedophile by Sean Strickland,” Garry said during UFC 298 media day. “No woman ever deserves to be called that. My son, the people that follow Sean Strickland, commented on a couple of my photos at the start of all this saying, ‘Is the kid even his?’ I should never have to hear that. Those two things, they emotionally get me.
“I’ll get mine back. I’ll thump the f****** mouth off Sean Strickland one day, and there will be nothing he can do about it. I’ll talk to him, I’ll dance in his face, I’ll do whatever I want, because the truth is when we get locked into that cage one day, he’s never going to be able to deal with me.”
After taking aim at Garry and his wife, Strickland physically attacked Dricus du Plessis when his UFC 297 opponent brought up the abuse he suffered in his childhood. Cooler heads eventually prevailed, but Strickland said some subjects should be off limits — including wives and children.
Garry noticed that that didn’t seem to apply where his family was concerned, and he’s not going to let Strickland off the hook.
“The truth is, I have a target on my back,” Garry said. “I have the ability to stand here and shoot shots at anyone I want, because this is my job, and they have the opportunity in return. So for me, when you attack people in my circle where they don’t deserve it, that’s out of line. Look, Sean Strickland is not the f****** voice we should be listening to. He’s deeply, deeply indebted with trauma, and he should just be silent and try to deal with his own personal issues himself, and that’s where it mainly came from.
“For sure, there’s no f****** man on the planet that talks about my wife or my family like that and doesn’t get it eventually. The truth is, he’s never going to be relevant again. He’s lost the belt. He’s lost the interest. There’s a point at which I’ll jump in on a short-notice fight, and I’ll dance all over him. I’m far too quick. I’m far too talented, and he’ll just be missing.”
The same goes for Covington after he basically followed Strickland’s lead with verbal attacks aimed at Garry and his wife.
“I want to beat Geoff Neal in spectacular fashion this weekend, then I’m going to fight Colby Covington, and I’m going to retire him, and I’m going to rid the clown from the UFC,” Garry said. “Then I’ll take someone [ranked] three, two or one in the world, I’ll beat them, and I’ll earn my title shot next year.”
“I think [Colby] has no other choice. When I beat Geoff Neal on Saturday, there’s only one choice, and it’s what I say.”
Despite the ugly comments made toward his family, Garry won’t stop engaging in mental warfare with his opponents. But he promises he’ll never take it as far as Covington or Strickland.
In his opinion, Garry believes intelligent, well-researched and funny trash talk always has a place in the sport, but fighters such as Strickland and Covington have taken things so low that nobody enjoys it.
“I’ll still talk s*** – that’s the person I am,” Garry said. “I’ll talk s***. You want to clap at me, I’ll clap back. That’s how I’ve grown up. That’s the way me and my friends grew up. But there’s a line. There’s a line on what you say and what you do, and it’s not trash to call my wife a pedophile, or say my kid isn’t even mine. That’s not trash talk. That’s abuse. That’s horrible, and no person on the planet deserves that.
“I feel like we’ve seen it recently, and the two main culprits are f****** Colby and Sean Strickland. Colby bringing up Leon [Edwards’] dad and Sean just being negative toward every single person possible. It shows a very dark age in MMA. This is not what the sport’s about.”
Unbeaten welterweight contender, Ian Garry has opened and still remains a distinct betting favorite to beat his incoming rival, Geoff Neal in their UFC 298 grudge fight this weekend, with the Dubliner drifting as a bigger favorite closer to the bout.
Garry, the current number ten ranked welterweight contender, has been sidelined since August of last year, most recently turning in a one-sided unanimous decision win over the division’s most-winningest fighter, Neil Magny in a judging shutout at UFC 292 in Boston.
As for Neal, the Texan has been sidelined himself since he featured at UFC 285 back in March, suffering an eventual third round standing rear-naked choke submission loss to the undefeated, Shavkat Rakhmonov in the pair’s main card showdown.
Ian Garry remains favorite to beat Geoff Neal at UFC 298
And initially opening as a betting favorite to beat Neal, Ian Garry is currently riding a -218 betting favorite over the former – who is a current +180 betting underdog – with Tipps.gg available to fans who are interested in betting on a host of cards this year, with the site also set to implement separate sections on MMA analytics, as well as their very own predictions ahead of events.
Forced from a slated return to the Octagon at UFC 296 back in December, Portmarnock striker, Garry withdrew from a planned return against Kill Cliff FC training partner, Vicente Luque at the end-of-year card, as he suffered from pneumonia during fight week.
And quickly rebooked amid his battle with illness, the outspoken Garry, who remains steadfast that he will defeat Neal in their rescheduled pairing – makes his comeback at UFC 298 this weekend in Anaheim, California.
Expecting to land a dominant win over the Dana White’s Contender Series alum, Neal, former Team KF trainee, Garry boldly claimed he would likely stop the striker with a body kick – and leave him resembling a dog defecating in the process of finishing him.
“What am I going to finish him (Geoff Neal) with?” Ian Garry said. “I am going to make him quit. He’ll choose when he’s done. I’d like to kick him to the body and have him do that – when the dog is sh*tting.”
“The dog looks at you like – when they’re pooing, for protection,” Ian Garry explained. “That’s what they do, right? [They] look at their owners when they’re pooing because that’s when they’re vulnerable for attack.”
Enjoying a roughshod run throughout the welterweight ranks since his Octagon debut back in 2022, Garry, a former Cage Warriors welterweight titleholder, has so-far enjoyed an impressive promotional-perfect run of six straight fights – notably taking out the likes of Song Kenan and Daniel Rodriguez with knockout victories, to go with his August win over Magny.
Making his debut under the Dana White-led banner back in 2018, the highly-touted Neal has himself turned in numerous high-profile triumphs during his UFC stint, including wins over the likes of Niko Price, Mike Perry, Santiago Ponzinibbio, the aforenoted, Luque, and the surging – expected next title challenger, Belal Muhammad – taking home a unanimous decision win over the Illinois native.
Who wins at UFC 298 this weekend: Geoff Neal or Ian Garry?
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