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MMA Fighting has Artur Beterbiev vs. Callum Smith live round-by-round updates for Saturday’s light heavyweight title fight at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Quebec.

The main event is expected to begin around 11 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN+. Check out our Beterbiev vs. Smith results page to find out what occurred on the preliminary card.

Artur Beterbiev (19-0, 19 KOs) makes the latest defense of his WBC, IBF, and WBO light heavyweight titles in a bid to set up a Dmitry Bivol unification bout later this year.

Callum Smith (29-1, 21 KOs) seeks to once again become a champion after rebounding from a title loss to Canleo Alvarez with knockouts of Lenin Castillo and Mathieu Bauderlique.

The showdown will be a 12-round light heavyweight bout.

Check out the Beterbiev vs. Smith live round-by-round action below.

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Round 4:

Round 5:

Round 6:

Round 7:

Round 8:

Round 9:

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Round 11:

Round 12:

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UFC

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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

Charles Oliveira vs. Arman Tsarukyan

Aljamain Sterling vs. Calvin Kattar

Jiri Prochazka vs. Aleksandar Rakic

Cody Garbrandt vs. Deiveson Figueiredo

Bo Nickal vs. Cody Brundage

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. 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.”

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.”

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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Despite adding several current and former champions to the card, many are still upset at the quality of UFC 300 but that could all be about to change with Khabib Nurmagomedov’s potential return.

Rumors are suggesting that Leon Edwards is set to put his belt on the line against rightful contender Belal Muhammad, but those plans may have now changed. The Brit is looking to make his third defense of the title when he steps into the octagon next time out.

Amid the speculation of UFC 300 and who is set to headline the huge event, Chael Sonnen believes he has pieced the answer together. Khabib Nurmagomedov could be on his way back to the octagon after recent comments from his coach surfaced.

“Coach Javier Mendez, owner and leader of the American Kickboxing Academy, came out in an interview and said that Khabib is back training with me.”

“He said, ‘Khabib always goes to practice, but he only trains with me when he’s getting ready for a fight.’ And that is all I know.”

Sonnen then questioned why Khabib could have possibly returned to training with his former coach, insisting UFC 300 could be a major reason.

“There is some reason that Leon versus Belal did not get made. It was expected and it was planned,” claimed Sonnen. “Something became available.”

“This is nothing more than a rumor but it’s a rumor that came from coach Mendez who’s training him. Who says, ‘I don’t train him unless it’s for a fight.’ It’s fascinating.”

“You know he’s not going to come back at 55 [lightweight], and the very first association went, of course, to Canada. Of course, it went to Georges St-Pierre. And that sure would be a super-fight, but how do you put on top of the bill a non-title when it’s your biggest bill that you’ve ever booked? It’s an interesting situation.”

Related: Dana White announces historic title fight for UFC 300

“There is a reason that Belal and Leon isn’t booked and that might come around, but if that comes around that’s because the reason I speak of fell out.”

“But there is a reason. Khabib is training for a reason. Khabib is not fighting at 155 pounds ever again and Dana’s not putting on UFC 300 without a title on top of the bill.”

With many significant names being either booked or unavailable for the date, a Khabib Nurmagomedov headliner could be exactly what UFC 300 is looking for.

Check out Chael Sonnen’s theory in the video below.

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UFC

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is gearing up for a very busy start to the new year and that includes some fresh fight announcements.

While most fight fans remain on the edge of their seats waiting for the illustrious UFC 300 fight card to be finalized, the promotion still has to handle other events scheduled to take place in Q1. That’s why UFC president Dana White took to social media Friday night to reveal some upcoming main event matchups.

Check out White’s announcement video below:

The first main event matchup to be announced is a heavyweight clash between Tai Tuivasa and Marcin Tybura currently scheduled to take place at UFC Vegas 87 on Mar. 16. The heavyweight clash was originally expected to take place at UFC 298 in February, but UFC matchmakers decided to give Tuivasa vs. Tybura their own headliner.

The next main event to be announced is a women’s flyweight tilt between former UFC champion Rose Namajunas and perennial contender Amanda Ribas, which is now slated to take place at UFC Vegas 88 on Mar. 23 from inside UFC Apex. The Namajunas vs. Ribas matchup was reported earlier this week, but now it’s officially happening.

The final main event to be revealed is an absolute barnburner between welterweight contenders Sean Brady and Vicente Luque. That pairing will meet at UFC Atlantic City on Mar. 30 in New Jersey. Brady is coming off a dominant submission win over Kelvin Gastelum last December, Luque, who was scheduled to fight Ian Garry at UFC 296 before that bout was canceled, is coming off a decision win over Rafael dos Anjos his last time out.

Lastly, White was able to confirm the booking of Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Cody Garbrandt, which will take place at UFC 300 on April 13. The matchup was leaked earlier this week, but now it’s officially on the docket. This may be Garbrandt’s final chance to show he’s still a legit contender in the UFC’s stacked bantamweight division.

Stick with Mania for more UFC Q1 fight card news.

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A heavyweight bout between Tai Tuivasa and Marcin Tybura has been moved back one month, UFC CEO Dana White announced on Friday.

White confirmed Tuivasa vs. Tybura will now take place at a UFC Fight Night event scheduled for March 16 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The fight originally was scheduled for UFC 298, which takes place Feb. 17 at Honda Center in Anaheim, Fla.

Tuivasa, the No. 8 ranked heavyweight in MMA Fighting’s Global Rankings, is in the midst of a three-fight skid, suffering on knockout losses to Sergei Pavlovich and Ciryl Gane in addition to a submission loss against Alexander Volkov in his most recent outing at UFC 292.

Tybura, the No. 11 heavyweight in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, was stopped by current interim heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall at UFC London, snapping a two-fight winning streak that included stoppage wins over Greg Hardy and Walt Harris.

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