When will former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor return to the octagon? We’re approaching three years since he last fought.
The 35-year old suffered a broken leg in his last outing against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021. He’s expected to face Michael Chandler when he returns. The two coached The Ultimate Fighter 31 last year. While there’s no definitely date for “Notorious” to fight again, UFC President Dana White gave a timeframe on Wednesday.
“Conor will fight this year. I’m thinking the fall, sometime in the fall,” White said on The Jim Rome Show. “He won’t be on (UFC) 300.”
White was doing his media rounds on Wednesday and also said the same thing during an appearance on The Pat McAfee show. “Eventually. Hopefully this year. There is no date. I’m hoping for the fall,” said White.
McGregor’s octagon return is expected to do astronomical numbers, but we’re a longtime removed from when he was a champion. The Irishman hasn’t held a championship in eight years. He’s also lost three of his last four fights.
Chandler last fought in November 2022, losing to Poirier via submission. He plans to sit on the sidelines until the fight with McGregor happens. He too has lost three of his last fought fights.
Molly McCann appears to have turned a new leaf as a Strawweight to look out for.
UFC Vegas 85 went about as perfectly as McCann could have asked it to last weekend (Feb. 3, 2024). “Meatball,” 33, changed things up for her rematch with Diana Belbita as she made her debut in the 115-pound weight class after 19 fights (13-6, now 14-6) and nine years as a Flyweight.
Typically known for her striking abilities, the Brit showed off a sharpened skillset on the feet before taking her opponent down late in round one to score her first career submission with an armbar (watch highlights). Rejuvenated in all ways, McCann can strongly build off the performance in her next fight, and she looked so good that the all-time great and current Bellator Featherweight champion, Cris “Cyborg” Justino, believes she has championship potential.
“That was a great victory for her, seeing the sacrifice she made to make the weight to 115,” Cyborg said on The Catch-Up. “She did great. I think she can be the next champion. She got an amazing armbar. It was really good.”
Ascending the ranks of Strawweight is no easy task for anyone, and with China’s Zhang Weili laying claim to the title at present, all challengers have their work cut out for them. Yan Xiaonan will be next to try and unseat her fellow countrywoman at UFC 300 in two months (Sat., April 13, 2024).
In the meantime, McCann hopes to climb the rankings ladder with a return to her home country.
“I’m just as fast as I was at Flyweight at Strawweight,” McCann said in her UFC Vegas 85 post-fight scrum.
“My hand’s a bit sore so I’ll have that X-ray’d and have a look,” she continued. “I’d like a little week off. Go back to the gym and then assess when works best for us. I heard July is in Manchester. I’d really like to have a go then. I’m not one to call anyone out. I’m a company woman who takes any fight she’s given. So, let’s hope the matchmakers are fair to me stylistically, and let me work through the rankings.”
For complete UFC Vegas 85: “Dolidze vs. Imavov” results and play-by-play, click HERE.
Garbrandt vs Figueiredo is the first fight on the prelims at #UFC300, per Dana White talking to the Las Vegas Review Journal. “I want to deliver the best card that’s ever been built. Every fight on the card right now could be a main event at either a Fight Night or a PPV"
Timothy Cuamba | Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Damir Hadzovic hasn’t had much luck getting back in the octagon.
The UFC announced Wednesday that Hadzovic has been removed from his lightweight bout with Bolaji Oki, which is scheduled for Saturday at UFC Vegas 86 event. Taking Hadzovic’s place is recent Contender Series competitor Timothy Cuamba.
A reason for the change was not mentioned by officials, but Hadzovic posted to his social media that the withdrawal is visa-related.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Damir Hadzovic (@hadzo)
“Unfortunately my fight is cancelled due to slow work-visa processing,” Hadzovic wrote. “Can’t even tell you how disappointed I am feeling, just bad luck, man. Hoping to get a new fight soon.”
This was to be Hadzovic’s first fight since July 2022 and just his third since March 2020. Visa issues also forced Hadzovic out of a fight against Steve Garcia at UFC Vegas 52.
The updated matchup sees two UFC newcomers facing off. Oki recently signed to the promotion from Contender Series, and Cuamba fought just this past weekend at a Tuff-N-Uff event in Las Vegas.
Oki (8-1) defeated Dylan Salvador via first-round TKO in August to earn a UFC contract. Since losing his pro debut in 2018, “The Zulu Warrior” has rattled off eight straight victories, with only two of those wins going to the scorecards.
Cuamba (8-1) competed on the same Contender Series card as Oki, and though he won his fight over Mateo Vogel by unanimous decision, he did not receive a contract. Instead, he debuts as a short-notice replacement just eight days after scoring a second-round knockout of Michael Stack.
Tom Aspinall is once again teasing a potential clash with reigning UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira at the promotion’s next big landmark event on April 13.
After scoring a vicious 69-second knockout against Sergei Pavlovich in November to claim the interim heavyweight title, Aspinall has been in a bit of a holding pattern with the division’s undisputed champ — Jon Jones — still recovering from a torn pectoral muscle. However, even when ‘Bones’ does return to action, he won’t be facing Aspinall in a title unification clash. Instead, Jones will rebook his previously scheduled showdown with heavyweight GOAT Stipe Miocic.
With no fight waiting for him at heavyweight, Aspinall has turned his attention toward former middleweight champion and current 205-pound king Alex Pereira. The two fighters have addressed, and often perpetuated, rumors of a potential matchup between the two at UFC 300 later this year.
Taking to Instagram, Aspinall once again fueled speculation with a screenshot indicating that he will be flying to Las Vegas during the weekend of UFC 300. Of course, that’s not terribly surprising as the promotion’s biggest stars are expected to be on hand for the event whether they are competing or not.
However, Aspinall’s inclusion of the Moai emoji — a stone-faced figure associated with Alex Pereira via a viral meme — has fans believing once again that Aspinall vs. ‘Poatan’ could potentially headline the UFC’s third centennial event.
Alex Pereira Downplays rumors of a move to heavyweight
In December, Alex Pereira debunked rumors of a potential move to heavyweight, noting that he’s focused on building a successful campaign at 205 before seeking a third world title with the UFC.
“Well, [I] fought at middleweight and then [I] had to listen to [my] body to go up and fight at light heavyweight,” Pereira told TheMACLife through his translator. “[I’m] a fighter bro, [I’m] willing to fight. [I’ll] fight anybody, anywhere. But, this kind of thing – [I have] the height and [am] basically the size of a heavyweight, but this is the kind of thing that has to be programmed, put some work in, it’s not something to just jump in on an adventure like that.
“[I] want to make [the move] the right way. [I] can definitely fight at heavyweight – maybe someday for the future. But it’s gotta be something [that’s] well-planned. So right now [I’m] focused on [my] light heavyweight reign.”
But as they say in MMA, anything can happen. With the right amount of money and motivation, there is a very good chance we could see Pereira attempt to make history by becoming the UFC’s first-ever three-division champion.
UFC 300 still needs a main event, but it doesn’t look like Tom Aspinall will be involved.
Despite rumors swirling that Aspinall could be matched up with UFC light heavyweight king Alex Pereira, the 30-year-old interim heavyweight champion said he hasn’t been approached about the fight.
That said, Aspinall adds he’s staying ready just in case he’s called to headline the historic card on April 13, because he would definitely like to fight sooner rather than later.
“On my end, I’ve heard nothing so far,” Aspinall said on his TikTok channel. “As I’ve said plenty of times before, I’m not one to turn down fights. I’m not particularly looking for that fight [against Alex Pereira], but if it’s available and they offer it to me, I will take it. I’m ready to fight.”
Aspinall claimed the interim title with a blistering first-round knockout of Sergei Pavlovich this past November, but his next fight remains rather murky. He’s called for a matchup with reigning UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who is still recovering from a torn pectoral muscle that prevented him from competing this past November.
Jones has made it clear that his return will come against former UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic and nobody else. The UFC has backed that request with plans to book Jones vs. Miocic sometime in 2024.
That leaves Aspinall twisting in the wind, especially considering the long standing rumors that perhaps Jones and Miocic could retire after they eventually clash.
“There’s been a lot of shouts about who I should fight next,” Aspinall said. “I’m ready to fight. Let me know. It’s as simple as that. Let me know who and where.
“I’m like the easiest guy ever to entice to a fight. Every time the UFC has asked me to fight, I said yeah. I’ve never even questioned who, when, where, anything like that. Make me an offer, and it’s highly likely I’ll say yeah.”
Ideally, Aspinall wants to compete at least twice in 2024. But with the UFC schedule quickly filling and fights booked up until April, he might be looking at a summer return.
There’s a good chance, however, that the UFC will return to the U.K. later this year, and that might present Aspinall with the perfect location to defend his title.
“I’d like to have two – two fights is perfect,” Aspinall said. “I think if we can have one around early summer time, and then one the back end of the year, that’s realistic and it’s ideal. Obviously, I’d like to have more, but you’ve got to be realistic about it.
“Twice a year is realistic and definitely doable. So two fights would be perfect.”
File under: Mmaweekly.com | Leave a comment »