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Khabib Nurmagomedov doesn’t like to give his biggest career fight too much thought in 2024.

The Nurmagomedov-Conor McGregor rivalry was — and from McGregor’s side still is — the most volatile in mixed martial arts (MMA) history. Unfortunately for “The Notorious,” it was a rough night in and out of the office.

Nurmagomedov successfully made his first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight title defense at UFC 229 against McGregor in October 2018. However, the fourth round neck crank was only the beginning of the real madness as a chaotic brawl broke out between the teams afterward when Nurmagomedov attacked the Irishman’s corner.

“It was a very emotional time, but at the same time, it was my feeling — I really wanted to bite someone’s heart,” Nurmagomedov said on the Inspire Me podcast (h/t MMA Fighting). “Do you have that feeling in your life? I just tried to bite his heart.

“Maybe you can feel this,” he concluded. “I am ‘The Eagle,’ and when the eagle is hungry, it’s not good. He has to hunt. That’s why.”

The end of UFC 229 was where things left off in Nurmagomedov’s book. McGregor has thrown several verbal jabs back at the Russian since to no response. While the commission and promotion didn’t enjoy the chaos that ensued, Nurmagomedov knew it was a possibility from the start.

“When the promotion promotes this fight, they have to expect something,” Nurmagomedov said. “When they know me, when they know all my team, when they know we don’t play. We compete, we don’t play. You cannot play MMA. You can play soccer. You can play American football, you can play hockey. But you cannot play MMA. You have to fight. This is a fighting game.

“A lot of people said it was a very strange or weird or something like this, but it was my decision,” he concluded.

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

BKFC is giving the people what they want.

On Monday, Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship announced its upcoming BKFC 67 card, which takes place on Oct. 12 at Marbella Arena in Marbella, Spain, will feature a high-profile amateur encounter between two sizable MMA personalities: Ben Davis and Oscar Willis.

An rising name in combat sports for his work in the commentary booth for several promotions and as on-air talent for DAZN and Misfits Boxing, “The Bane” has also tried his hand across several fighting disciplines, losing to Brad Boulton in a grappling match in May of 2023, and then losing to Gabriel Silva — Anderson Silva’s son — in a boxing match at Misfits 9 this past September. Most recently, Davis made his Karate Combat debut, winning by unanimous decision.

“This is easily the craziest thing I’ve ever done,” Davis told MMA Fighting. “Odds of me getting slept again are high, but f*ck it, we ball. I’ve done my best to do things different, and I feel I’ve checked nearly every big box. BJJ, boxing, karate, and now bare-knuckle. I believe this all ends with an MMA debut next.

“My ultimate goals are related to my broadcasting career, but while I’m young and able, I feel it’s important to walk it as much as I talk it.”

Davis faces a big challenge in Willis, who is best known as the face of The Mac Life, but also made his MMA debut in 2022, winning a unanimous decision at Tuff-N-Uff: Fight for Our Troops 11. This will also be Willis’s first fight since then and his bare-knuckle debut, but he felt the timing and opponent made sense.

“BKFC felt like the right promotion, Bane felt like the right opponent, and a bull fighting arena in Spain felt like the right venue,” Willis told MMA Fighting. “There’s no beef here, I get on well with him, but all’s fair in love and war — and I’ll bring both for Ben in October.”

BKFC 67 is set to be headlined by a battle for the vacant lightweight title between Franco Tenaglia and Tony Soto.

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Taking in the action at notable boxing events in Saudi Arabia over the last couple of years, professional footballing icon, Cristiano Ronaldo has provided his opinion on the ever-evolving question: MMA or Boxing?

Ronaldo, a former footballing star for Real Madrid and Manchester United — twice, currently plays his trade in Saudi Arabia, featuring with Pro League side Al Nassr — netting 50 goals for the side since his unceremonious second exit from Old Trafford two years ago.

Cristiano Ronaldo picks MMA over boxing as his preferred combat sport

And spotted side-by-side alongside former two-division UFC champion, Conor McGregor sat ringside at Francis Ngannou’s boxing match debut with former WBC heavyweight titleholder, Tyson Fury last year in a controversial decision — Cristiano Ronaldo has shared his thoughts on which combat sports he finds better: MMA or Boxing?

Picking mixed martial arts as his preferred combat sports over boxing — despite appearing at Oleksandr Usyk’s title unification clash with the above-mentioned, Fury alongside Saudi adviser, Turki Alalshikh — the veteran Portuguese striker appears to have his preference set on mixed martial arts over combat exclusively in the squared circle.

Along with his pick of MMA over boxing, Ronaldo claims he would also rather watch the NBA over the NFL, tennis over golf, Formula 1 over it’s motorcycle MOTOGP partner — Ronaldo could not separate between tennis megastars, Novak Djokovic, or Spaniard ace, Rafael Nadal.

When it comes to professional wrestlers, the European Championships winner also sided with The Rock instead of veteran Hulk Hogan, and picked Chicago Bulls icon, Michael Jordan over Golden State Warriors shooter, Stephen Curry.

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Robert Whittaker, since moving up to middleweight in the UFC, has only lost thrice. Two of these losses came against Israel Adesanya, and he most recently lost to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 290.

Although Whittaker’s been unable to reclaim his UFC middleweight title since 2019, he’s defeated top contenders such as Darren Till, Jared Cannonier, Paulo Costa, Marvin Vettori, and Ikram Aliskerov.

“Bobby Knuckles” will now face Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 308. Here’s what he thinks of fighting another intimidating contender and how he plans to emerge victorious…

Robert Whittaker Reveals Several Reasons That Make Him Confident About Beating Khamzat Chimaev

Whittaker appeared on the Submission Radio YouTube channel recently and discussed the state of the UFC middleweight division. When asked about his next fight, “The Reaper” highlighted that he’s had two camps preparing specifically for Chimaev which is naturally a huge advantage.

“I’ve essentially had two camps for this guy, right? I think skill-set wise, I’m probably at the best I’ve been. I’ve been especially most prepared for Khamzat, theoretically speaking as I could be, right?”

The former UFC middleweight kingpin also feels great physically and mentally. He likes fighting in the Middle East, which is luckily where UFC 308 takes place.

Whittaker didn’t hold back when asked about his strategy going into the Chimaev fight. He’s aware of the explosive wrestling his opponent brings in the early rounds. However, he’s certain about neutralizing Chimaev’s wrestling and turning the tides as the fight goes on.

“Yeah, definitely that high-paced start and his wrestling prowess. It’s quite simple. You know, you got to worry about how hard he’s going to push the wrestling envelope in the first few rounds. And then, like, what I’m going to do after that, after I stop the takedowns, after I get back up or whatever, and just taking the fight to him.”

Whittaker has racked up two impressive wins in 2024. By ending the year with a win over a huge name like Chimaev, he’ll most likely earn a title shot.

• READ MORE: Kamaru Usman Compares Career To Israel Adesanya and Alexander Volkanovski Ahead Of Rumored Return Against Belal Muhammad: “How Disrespectful Are MMA Fans”

Continue Reading ‘I’ve Essentially Had Two Camps For This Guy’ –  Robert Whittaker Lays Down Confident Plan To Get Past Khamzat Chimaev And Fight For UFC Middleweight Gold at MMA News.

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

UFC and Strikeforce veteran Benji Radach has died at the age of 45.

Reports about his passing were first posted by family members on Facebook, including from Radach’s stepmother and brother. Additional sources confirmed the news to MMA Fighting on Monday.

The cause of death has not been revealed at this time.

A stalwart of the fight game dating back to his MMA debut in 2001, Radach was always considered a tough out no matter who he faced over the years.

Following a perfect 10-0 start to his career, Radach signed to the UFC in 2002, where he fought three times and amassed a 1-1 record with one no contest. Radach actually scored a knockout in his debut, however the win was overturned after the Louisiana Athletic Commission deemed that he was holding onto the cage prior to the finish.

Radach picked up his first official UFC win with a decision over Matt Serra’s younger brother Nick Serra before suffering a loss to Sean Sherk and departing the promotion.

He eventually landed in the IFL in 2007, where he fought six times in a single calendar year while amassing an impressive 5-1 record, including wins over Brian Foster, Gerald Harris, and Bristol Marunde.

Radach also fought in Elite XC, where he scored a knockout win over Murilo Rua — the older brother of UFC Hall of Famer Mauricio Rua — before eventually competing in Strikeforce against the likes of Ovince Saint Preux and Scott Smith.

His final fight came in 2015 when he suffered a loss to Ben Reiter in Bellator.

Outside of fighting, Radach also famously stopped a robbery back in 2004 when an assailant attempted to hold up the restaurant at gunpoint while he was having breakfast with fellow UFC veteran Dennis Hallman. Radach intervened by tackling the robber, wrestling the gun away from him, and ultimately delivering a punch that fractured his jaw and left him unconscious as they awaited for police to arrive.

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

Bobby Lashley isn’t slowing down.

That’s the message the 48-year-old athlete passed along when addressing the end of the WWE run he’s been on since 2018. Lashley’s past six years in WWE included several title reigns, but the company recently shifted his online profile to the alumni section of its website, signaling that he was no longer part of the active roster.

While his time with the professional wrestling leader may be over, Lashley revealed in a recent interview that he’s open to any and all possibilities as far as his career is concerned — and that includes a potential return to combat sports.

“I’m doing it all,” Lashley told The Bo and Them Show in Dallas. “I look at it this way — first of all, YOLO, you only live once but I have a lot of gas in the tank. I’m in great shape. I feel good. I’m motivated. I’m rested.

“Wrestling, yes. Boxing, yes, MMA, yes. Acting, yes. Everything, yes. But I have a lot of different things going on right now.”

Of course, Lashley is best known for his pro wrestling career after first rising to prominence in WWE back in 2005. He continued wrestling in various promotions after leaving WWE in 2008 before making the decision to test out MMA.

With an amateur wrestling background that included a trio of NAIA national championships, Lashley wasted no time making an impact in MMA, compiling a perfect 5-0 record to start his career. He then signed with Strikeforce and picked up a win over UFC veteran Wes Sims in his debut, but fell to UFC veteran Chad Griggs in his second bout with the promotion.

Lashley continued fighting MMA over the years, which eventually led to signing with Bellator in 2014, where he amassed another perfect 5-0 record in five appearances.

Lashley ultimately put fighting on hold in 2018 when he got the opportunity to return to WWE, but he sounds ready to strap on the gloves again, although a different sport may get his attention this time around.

“A boxing company called me and offered me a legit matchup,” Lashley revealed. “So we’re in talks with them, so I’ve been training boxing. I love boxing. MMA is a possibility. Just depending on [what offers come].”

Even if he does cross over into boxing or possibly return to MMA, Lashley isn’t giving up on professional wrestling either. He’s now a free agent after leaving WWE, and Lashley is open for business.

“Wrestling, I still want to wrestle,” Lashley said. “I love wrestling and the fans write me everyday, ‘When are you coming back? Where are you going? I don’t care where you go, we want to be there for you.’ So, I love the fans.”

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