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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

The Mixed Martial Arts Hour is back in your life! Below is a rundown of Wednesday’s show, which begins at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT / 6 p.m. UK time.

1 p.m. ET: All of your questions are answered on the latest edition of On The Nose.

2 p.m.: Top women’s featherweight Leah McCourt discusses her status in PFL, the latest on Ryan Curtis, and more.

2:30 p.m.: PFL star Cédric Doumbé previews his March 3 fight against Baissangour Chamsoudinov.

3 p.m.: Kayla Harrison drops by to discuss joining the UFC and facing Holly Holm at UFC 300.

3:30 p.m.: Robert Whittaker stops by to preview his UFC 298 fight against Paulo Costa and talk the state of the middleweight division.

4 p.m.: WWE stars Bianca Belair and Montez Ford join us in-studio to chat about the Royal Rumble, their upcoming Hulu reality show Love & WWE, and much more.

5 p.m.: The Parlay Boys and I make our picks for Royal Rumble weekend.

For the latest episodes of The MMA Hour, subscribe on Spotify or iTunes.

MMA Fighting – All Posts

The feud continues
| BJPenn.com

UFC

Max Holloway will move up to the Lightweight division once again, this time to face current BMF champion, Justin Gaethje, at the upcoming UFC 300 mega event on April 13, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

It’s not exactly the fight “Blessed” was expecting after knocking out Chan Sung Jung in Aug. 2023 (see it again here). That’s because the former Featherweight champion of the world was hoping to get back to another chance at reclaiming his title before the promotion decided to take a different route.

“Justin Gaethje looked like he needed a dance partner since Oliveira and Islam was booked at the time, and just threw my name in the hat,” Holloway told longtime combat sports reporter Kevin Iole via MMA Junkie. “The BMF belt is great. Being right there at 55, being that 55 weight class is right there, only 10 pounds away from 45, I can do both classes. Why not throw my name in the hat?”

Currently on a two-fight win streak, which he earned after suffering a third straight championship loss against current champion Alexander Volkanovski, Holloway feels that his options will be endless should he take out Gaethje in “Sin City.”

“It’s options, I think a lot of doors are going to get opened, a lot of options are going to be open. We’ll see what happens. … First things first is the man in front of me. I got a dangerous guy in Justin Gaethje, but we’re going to handle him first, and then after that, like I said: It’s just a game of options,” he added.

“A lot of things can open up after this fight. That’s what I’m focused on. Focused on getting my hand raised, and shock the world, I guess.”

Currently ranked No. 1 at 145 pounds, Holloway could very well cut the line at 155 pounds if he manages to score a more impressive win than Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan, who are set to collide in a title eliminator fight, also at UFC 300.

That, or he can secure himself a shot at the winner of the upcoming Featherweight title fight between the aforementioned Alexander Volkanovski and Ilia Topuria, which is set to headline UFC 298 on Feb. 17, 2024.

MMAmania.com – All Posts

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

Max Holloway is ready to add another title to his legendary resume.

If fans were worried about the state of UFC 300, it looks like there’s no more need to fear if Wednesday night’s announcement of Holly Holm vs. Kayla Harrison is anything to go by. Oh, but before that, the next BMF title tilt between the champion Justin Gaethje and Holloway had also been added to the lineup.

MMA fighters don’t get much more exciting than Gaethje and Holloway. Having them paired to fight each other is just an exceptionally uncalled-for delight in what will be Holloway’s first fight at 155 pounds since April 2019. In terms of logic between both featherweight and lightweight, there admittedly isn’t much in this matchup, other than the pure fun it will provide. Gaethje was left without a dance partner despite a seemingly inevitable title shot awaiting him and “Blessed” figured he’d stay busy on the biggest stage imaginable, if possible.

“[Charles] Oliveira and Islam [Makhachev] was booked, I just came off a big win with ‘Korean Zombie’ [Chan Sung Jung], and then the ‘45 title was booked too at the same time,” Holloway told Kevin Iole. “So, he had the BMF belt and I like options. At ‘45, I think the next step for me is back for the title. We was being undeniable. We had that third fight with ‘Volk’ (Alexander Volkanovski). I had to go fight Arnold [Allen]. We did that. They gave me the fight against ‘Korean Zombie’ over out in Asia, and that was a fun one. We did that, and what’s next is a title shot, we was thinking. They went a different way, and in this sport, having options is great.

“Justin Gaethje looked like he needed a dance partner since Oliveira and Islam was booked at the time, and just threw my name in the hat. The BMF belt is great. Being right there at ‘55, being that ‘55 weight class is right there, only 10 pounds away from ‘45, I can do both classes. Why not throw my name in the hat?”

The former featherweight champion Holloway, 32, is currently stuck in limbo at his longtime home of 145 pounds. As long as Volkanovski is the current title holder, the Hawaiian will be hard-pressed to find himself back challenging for gold after three losses to “The Great.” That can all change at UFC 298 next month, however, as Volkanovski will defend against the unbeaten 13-0 Ilia Topuria

While Holloway has spent time in each weight class throughout his 32-fight career (25-7), Gaethje, 35, has never ventured up or down in weight. Putting his third shot at undisputed UFC gold on hold, “The Highlight” now attempts to limit Holloway’s options at the historic UFC 300 event.

“It’s options,” Holloway said. “I think a lot of doors are going to get opened, a lot of options are going to be open. We’ll see what happens. … First things first is the man in front of me. I got a dangerous guy in Justin Gaethje, but we’re going to handle him first, and then after that, like I said: It’s just a game of options. A lot of things can open up after this fight. That’s what I’m focused on. Focused on getting my hand raised, and shock the world, I guess.”

TOP STORIES

Business. WWE moves Raw to Netflix in massive $ 5 billion deal, what that means for UFC broadcast rights

Concern. ‘That’s the bulls***, man’: Khamzat Chimaev expresses frustration with Dana White about possibly not getting title shot at UFC 300

Rough. Alan Jouban laments fall of the UFC women’s bantamweights: ‘The division is in shambles’

Reflection. Jon Jones brother says champ ‘couldn’t sleep’ before Rampage Jackson fight, even dad was ‘being a fanboy’

Betting. Israel Adesanya opens as slight favorite over Dricus du Plessis in potential middleweight title fight

Crazy. Neil Magny: Ian Machado Garry trash talk was used in my custody battle, but no ill will toward him

Addition. Dwayne Johnson joins TKO Group Holdings board of directors, takes ownership of ‘The Rock’ name

VIDEO STEW

MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck chats with Laura Sanko.

Sound & Pound.

Throwback free fight.

UFC 297 Seanbedded.

LISTEN UP

Heck of a Morning. MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck discusses what’s next for Sean Strickland — and should it be Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 300?

MORNING MUSIC

SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE

Whoops.

Please don’t be boring…

Aspinall.

Still crazy.

The end is near.

Time flies.

Damn.

Johnny.

Look out.

Crossover.

It continues.

FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Gerald Meerschaert (35-17) vs. Bryan Barberena (18-11); UFC Vegas 88, March 16

Mike Davis (10-2) vs. Natan Levy (8-1); UFC Vegas 88, March 16

Pannie Kianzad (16-7) vs. Macy Chiasson (8-3); UFC Vegas 88, March 16

Josiane Nunes (10-1) vs. Chelsea Chandler (5-2); UFC Vegas 88, March 16

Joshua Culibao (11-2-1) vs. Danny Silva (8-1); UFC Vegas 88, March 16

Si Yoon Park (6-3) vs. Seika Izawa (12-0); Deep Jewels 44, March 23

Jeong Eun Park (9-7-1) vs. Namiko “Hime” Kawabata (4-3); Deep Jewels 44, March 23

Alonzo Menifield (15-3-1) vs. Carlos Ulberg (9-1); UFC Atlantic City, March 30

Holly Holm (15-6, 1 no contest) vs. Kayla Harrison (16-1); UFC 300, April 13

FINAL THOUGHTS

Holloway is definitely in one of the more unique spots a fighter can be in right now. As he said, not too terrible, though.

Thanks for reading!

EXIT POLL

If you find something you’d like to see in the Morning Report, hit up @DrakeRiggs_ on Twitter and let him know about it. Also, follow MMAFighting on Instagram and like us on Facebook.

MMA Fighting – All Posts

Unbeaten welterweight contender, Shavkat ‘Nomad’ Rakhmonov remains a betting favorite to land a victory over the incumbent divisional gold holder amid continued links to a future UFC championship showdown between the two.

Edwards, the current undisputed welterweight champion, most recently headlined UFC296 back in December, landing a one-sided unanimous decision win over former interim titleholder, Colby ‘Chaos’ Covington in the pair’s long-anticipated grudge fight.

As for Rakhmonov, the Uzbekistan-born contender turned in another stoppage victory on the same card to boot before the turn of the year, battling through a pre-existing injury to land a second round RNC submission win over former two-time title challenger, Stephen Thompson. The victory saw Rakhmonov move to 18-0 as a professional, and land the number three rank at welterweight to boot.

Leon Edwards vs Shavkat Rakhmonov Betting Odds

And despite Edward’s impressive winning run as champion which contains successful title defenses against former gold holders, Kamaru ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ Usman, and the aforenoted, Covington, the Birmingham native is a +180 betting underdog to beat the current -210 betting favorite, Rakmonov if they share the cage before the close of the year.

Linked with a massive return at UFC 300, Edwards has been earmarked to fight surging championship chaser, Belal Muhammad in a title fight rematch in Las Vegas, Nevada, and while fans are sure to place bets on the expected championship re-run, platforms such as the hi lo casino site can help punters and gamblers identify the best casinos and slots to play with whilst in ‘Sin City’ – or even from the comfort of their own home online. 

Backed to at least challenge for Octagon spoils in the future, if not turn in a dominant reign as welterweight champion, Rakhmonov has so-far landed an impressive run of six consecutive victories and finishes since he moved to the UFC from M-1 Global – where he previously turned in a title win to boot.

For Edwards, the Birmingham native has enjoyed a two-fight winning run atop the welterweight pile since his ascension back in August 2022, successfully defending his title in a rubber match against Usman, prior to December’s shutout win over Covington.

And eyeing a quickfire return to the Octagon, Edwards has been earmarked to fight the surging Muhammad in the pair’s rematch, however, at the time of publication, the pairing has yet to be officially confirmed by the Dana White-led promotion.

In the immediate aftermath of his title fight win over Clovis native, Edwards remained non-committal on a title fight re-run with Muhammad, pointing to an apparent slew of other deserving contenders.

“Nah, there are definitely other options,” Leon Edwards said. “I don’t feel like Belal (Muhammad) should be next. I’ve done it before. I’ve won like 10 fights and didn’t get a title shot. So, what makes him different or more privileged.”

“So, Colby’s (Covington) already skipped the line already, let’s see who’s next,” Leon Edwards explained. “But like I said, this is the ‘Rocky’ era, it’s my era now and I’ll keep reigning, whoever’s next. It doesn’t matter, they’re all similar styles anyways. All boxers and wrestlers, it’s what I’ve built my career on. So, whoever comes next, it’s whatever, you know.”

LowKickMMA.com

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

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