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On the first episode of UFC 306 Embedded, Alexa Grasso and the Mexican stars of Saturday’s show hold a special workout, Sean O’Malley resists temptation at a fine-dining establishment with a weight cut just days away, Merab Dvalishvili studies O’Malley’s game tape, Raul Rosas Jr. hits up a street party, Valentina Shevchenko goes antique shopping, plus more.

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Title Shot or Bust
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Dana White just named his Mount Rushmore of UFC.

Topping the list of all-time greats is current heavyweight champion and former 205-pound titleholder Jon Jones, who also places No. 1 on White’s pound-for-pound list. Next up is ex-bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey for her role in ushering women into modern day mixed martial arts (MMA).

“Rowdy” wasn’t the first female MMA star, but she was certainly the biggest.

Former UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre was also named by White. The former “king” of pay-per-view (PPV) cards carried Canada on his back for the better part of a decade. Last but not least is one-time featherweight champion Conor McGregor, who also held gold at 155 pounds.

I guess “Notorious” can finally say he beat longtime rival Khabib Nurmagomedov.

“I gotta go with Jon Jones,” the UFC CEO said emphatically during his interview on ESPN’s First Take. “You have to go with Ronda Rousey. Women would not be fighting in UFC if it wasn’t for her. You would have to put ‘GSP’ in there, and absolutely, positively, Conor McGregor. He elevated and changed the game, globally.”

He also changed the value of the company, globally.

Whether or not Jones, Rousey, St-Pierre, and McGregor remain atop White’s Mount Rushmore (even solid rock can be transformed) may depend on the next generation of UFC superstars and their impact on the fight game. Until then, that’s a pretty solid list, even if it ignores some of the other needle-moving trailblazers (like this ex-champ).

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

When it comes to the top four UFC fighters of all time, Dana White didn’t blink when revealing his list.

The so-called “Mount Rushmore” of MMA gets debated constantly but the UFC CEO definitely had his names ready when asked that question ahead of UFC 306 on Saturday. While White’s list isn’t exactly surprising, he also mentioned why a couple of people in particular have to occupy a spot among the greatest fighters to ever compete in the UFC.

“You’ve got to go with Jon Jones,” White said emphatically when speaking to ESPN. “You have to go with Ronda Rousey. Women would not be fighting in the UFC if it wasn’t for her.

“You would have to put GSP (Georges St-Pierre) in there and absolutely, positively Conor McGregor. He elevated and changed the game globally.”

The first name on White’s list shouldn’t surprise anybody given the way he’s consistently touted Jones as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the sport and the greatest of all-time when it comes to MMA. Considering Jones has never truly tasted defeat during his career and he’s competed in 16 title fights — the most in UFC history — his place is pretty secure.

As far as Rousey goes, she’s a UFC Hall of Famer and former bantamweight champion who was certainly the catalyst needed for White to change his stance on never allowing women to compete in the octagon. At her height, Rousey was one of the biggest stars in the sport and she ran roughshod over her opposition until running into Holly Holm in 2015.

While her exit was disappointing after two straight knockout losses, Rousey’s impact on the UFC is still felt to this day.

Much like Jones, Georges St-Pierre put together a ridiculous career with title reigns in two weight classes and the most title defenses in welterweight history with nine straight. He’s second only to Jones in total title fight wins in the UFC with 13 and he’s got a laundry list of statistical records on his resume.

Finally, McGregor’s star power definitely put the UFC on another stratosphere as far as popularity and attention goes. His record hasn’t been stellar lately with a 1-3 record over his past four fights with McGregor last appearance happening back in 2021.

Still, White says that McGregor’s place in history is firmly cemented not to mention his accolade as the first UFC champion to hold two titles simultaneously is just another feather in his cap.

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Dana White recently claimed responsibility for the noticeable enhancements in WWE’s production quality. Last September, the UFC and WWE united to form a formidable force in the world of combat sports: TKO Group Holdings. Since their merger, the company has thrived, reaching new levels of success and redefining industry standards. WWE fans have experienced a […]

Continue Reading UFC CEO Dana White Takes Credit For WWE’s Production Improvements: ‘A Lot Of Influence…’ at MMA News.

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

Dana White isn’t exactly rolling out the red carpet for Oscar De La Hoya.

In a recent Instagram video, De La Hoya continued his rivalry with boxing star Canelo Alvarez while stating that he plans to attend UFC 306 at Sphere in Las Vegas this Saturday. The event runs the same evening as Alvarez’s upcoming bout with Edgar Berlanga, which takes place at T-Mobile Arena just 10 minutes up the road.

De La Hoya, the Golden Boy Promotions founder who has had a long-running feud with Alvarez, called the champion’s bout with Berlanga a “snoozefest” on paper and added, “It’s just robbery at this point.” He then announced that he is choosing the UFC over boxing this weekend.

“I’ll actually be attending at the UFC event at the Sphere instead,” De La Hoya said. “Now, I love the sport of boxing more than anything. I will be watching boxing matches anywhere and anytime. Even if it’s a simple sparring session or two bums fighting in the street.

“So the idea I’m choosing to attend the UFC and support Dana White instead of Canelo tells you everything you need to know.”

De La Hoya and White have hardly been the best of friends over the years, with the two frequently butting heads in public. As recently as 2022, White said that he was doubtful that he and De La Hoya “can ever be friends again.”

In an interview with Grind City Media, White was asked if he’d heard about De La Hoya potentially attending UFC 306. He answered that he was aware of the clip, but that as far as he knows, his team isn’t making any special preparations for the boxing legend’s arrival.

“I don’t know where he’s getting his tickets from, but he definitely isn’t getting them from me,” White said. “I don’t know if he’s coming with [Turki Alalshikh] or what his deal is, but yeah, I saw it.

“It’s him trying to shit on Canelo, and I said it a million times, I respect Canelo. I like Canelo. Met him, he’s a nice guy. I’m saying that that night, we’re talking about the history of Mexico and the history of the people and their traditions and the impact that they’ve had on combat sports. Somebody said to me, ‘So you’ll be celebrating Canelo that night?’ Yes, we are. Canelo is a big part, he’s a big part of the night. Julio Cesar Chavez, Salvador Sanchez, how are you going to do all the baddest dudes that have ever come out of Mexico and not talk about Canelo too?”

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

Cain Velasquez is set to be sentenced by a judge in California after pleading no-contest to a variety of charges including attempted murder.

The ex-UFC heavyweight champion is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 18 for his sentencing after his trial was originally set to begin on Monday. The 42-year-old avoided the trial now faces anything from probation to a life sentence as punishment, although the latter is highly unlikely given Velasquez’s plea deal with prosecutors.

In the original statement addressing Velasquez’s decision to plead no-contest, which basically means he’s accepting punishment in the case without actually admitting guilt, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office stated specifically that “he faces prison time.”

Assuming the sentencing moves ahead as scheduled without being reset for a later date, Velasquez will soon find out his fate after he was first arrested all the way back in February 2022. He was detained and charged following an 11-mile high speed car chase going after a vehicle that contained Harry Goularte, a man accused of molesting Velasquez’s son at a daycare owned by Goularte’s mother.

Velasquez fired several rounds from a .40-caliber handgun at the vehicle, which resulted in struck Goularte’s stepfather Paul Bender being struck in the arm. He sustained non-life threatening injuries as a result.

When the car chase ended, Velasquez was arrested without incident by the Morgan Hill Police Department and he was hit with a multitude of charges that kept him behind bars for the eight months before he was eventually granted bail.

Following Velasquez’s arrest, the district attorney stated that the former fighter’s search history on his phone revealed “searches for ‘sexual assault case where victims family fights back’” and “sexual assault cases where victims family retaliates.”

“This defendant decided to become judge, jury, and executioner,” Santa Clara County district attorney Jeff Rosen said in a statement. “His actions endangered innocent bystanders, including young children and their parents who could have been injured or killed as he shot at his intended victim. We have excellent law enforcement in this county. Let them do their jobs.”

Since being released, Velasquez has returned to coaching at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif., where he’s continued to work and even corner fighters competing in promotions like the UFC and Bellator.

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