On the second episode of UFC 305 Embedded, defending champ Dricus du Plessis does a meet and greet with fans in Australia; the City Kickboxing team — including former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya, Dan Hooker, and Kai Kara-France — fly into Perth; Mateusz Gamrot goes for a walk in the woods; Carlos Prates hits the gym; Steve Erceg spends time with his family; Tai Tuivasa puts in work, plus more.
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Dana White’s vision for UFC 306 is starting to come to light.
The UFC CEO on Tuesday revealed the first details of his production plan for the Sept. 14 event at Las Vegas’ famed Sphere venue, which White has repeatedly called “a love letter” to Mexican combat sports.
“So what we’ve done, really what we’re going to do on September 14 takes over a year to do. We’re doing it in four months,” White said Tuesday on The Pat McAfee Show. “So, when the show starts, we’re going to have the prelims, and then we’re going to tell — throughout the rest of the night — the history of combat in Mexico, from the beginning of time and into the future. So the first fight of the night will start at the beginning of time, the main event will be the future of Mexico. That’s the first time I’ve ever talked about this.”
UFC 306 features a 10-fight card headlined by two title bouts, as UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley faces Merab Dvalishvili in the main event and UFC women’s flyweight champion Alexa Grasso puts her belt on the line in a trilogy bout against Valentina Shevchenko. Grasso is the first Mexican UFC women’s champion and her most recent bout against Shevchenko headlined UFC’s inaugural Noche UFC event in September 2023.
The Sphere is a $ 2.3 billion venue that features a 160,000 square-foot 16K-resolution wraparound screen inside and generally seats between 18,000 to 20,000 people. White has touted the pay-per-view show as a one-off, due to it being the most expensive production in promotional history, with more than $ 17 million already spent. However, with the cheapest tickets priced in the thousands, TKO Group Holdings chief financial officer Andrew Schleimer said the event could end up producing the largest live gate in company history.
“Look, we’re bullish,” Schleimer said on an investor call in early August. “We’ve talked obviously about this being a cultural event and Dana has publicly stated how much more [invested UFC is] in this event, and obviously this is going to be a massive spectacle for those in the arena and for those at home.
“On the top side, this will be one of the largest gates if not meaningfully the largest gate that we’ve ever done, and on the cost side, it’s going to be the single largest investment that we’re making in an event. It’s even more expensive than we originally anticipated.”
With a month to go until the big day, White is excited to show off what UFC put together, but also knows he must deliver on the spectacle he’s promised for more than a year.
“Listen, we have to execute, but this thing is going to be — if you are even this much Mexican, you are going to love this event on Mexican Independence Day at the Sphere,” White said. “I guarantee you. It’s so badass.”
UFC 306’s full card lineup can be seen here.
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Shot down
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Former PFL middleweight Joilton Lutterbach was using performance-enhancing drugs before getting the call to compete against Shara Magomedov as part of the UFC Saudi Arabia fight card last June in Riyadh. The 31 year-old “Peregrino” failed to alert the promotion of his prior steroid use, then flunked his pre-fight drug test administered by Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD).
The result was a two-year suspension and pink slip from UFC.
Lutterbach (38-9, 1 NC) tested positive for 3a-Hydroxy-2a-methyl-5a-androstan-17-one, a metabolite of drostanolone (an anabolic steroid), forcing the promotion to pivot and book Magomedov against Brazilian bruiser Antonio Trocoli. “Shara Bullet” went on to win the contest by way of third-round technical knockout, then made a quick turnaround for the UFC on ABC card earlier this month in Abu Dhabi.
Magomedov defeated Michal Oleksiejczuk by unanimous decision.
“Thank you for all the messages of affection during this difficult time, I actually used juice three months ago and had no idea that I would sign with UFC,” Lutterbach wrote on social media. “I could have hidden in the mountains or gone to Thailand to hide as many do and are not tested, but I preferred to take the risk and believe I was clean and fit to fight.”
Lutterbach will be eligible to return on June 23, 2026.
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At least for now, Dana White is done entertaining the idea of Alex Pereira to heavyweight.
The UFC CEO delivered a vehement “no” when asked Tuesday on The Pat McAfee Show whether Pereira will get his chance to challenge UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones.
Pereira, 37, is the current UFC light heavyweight champion and former middleweight champion. Also a former two-division champion in GLORY Kickboxing, Pereira has twice stepped in on short notice to save the UFC in 2024, headlining UFC 300 in April with a first-round knockout of Jamahal Hill and then headlining UFC 303 in June with a second-round knockout of Jiri Prochazka.
Following the Prochazka knockout, UFC color commentator Joe Rogan led a voracious charge to allow Pereira to move up to heavyweight and attempt to become the first three-division champion in UFC history. Both Pereira and Jones have expressed an openness to the matchup, and Pereira’s longtime coach Plinio Cruz recently endorsed the idea to MMA Fighting, calling Jones vs. Pereira “the biggest fight this sport has ever seen.”
“I think it’d be a mega-fight. I think [it’d be] the biggest fight this sport has ever seen,” Cruz said in July. “We all respect Jon Jones a lot. And I think it’s going to be just a great fight. I’m not going to say [who] wins, they lose, [who] wins, they lose. Fight is a fight, but I think it’s going to be the best fight between two great champions.”
“I like the idea. I think that’s a [move] that’s going to happen eventually,” Cruz added. “I don’t think right now it’s the move, because let’s just be honest, the heavyweight division is clogged, it’s stopped right now. First Jones has to fight, first [Tom] Aspinall has to fight, so for us to be chasing something that’s not even moving yet, I don’t think is the point.”
Jones, 37, is the current UFC heavyweight champion and widely considered the greatest light heavyweight to ever compete. Jones is expected to face Stipe Miocic in a long-awaited matchup — most likely in November at New York’s Madison Square Garden — after spending most of 2024 rehabilitating from a shoulder injury that derailed the bout in 2023. Jones has not competed since defeating Ciryl Gane to claim the vacant title in March 2023, which marked Jones’ first and only bout at heavyweight in his 15-year MMA career.
White has been an ardent supporter of both the Jones vs. Miocic matchup and Jones’ claim to being the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the sport, and that continued on Tuesday.
“Well, everybody on the internet is stupid,” White said when asked about criticism of his positions. “Anybody who thinks Jon Jones isn’t the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world should never be discussing fighting ever. Period, end of story.”
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Michael Chandler would love to kick Conor McGregor’s ass in front of Donald Trump.
Chandler has been nothing, but patient while waiting for his red panty night against the Irish megastar. It looked as though the way would finally pay off on June 29 when the two were scheduled to headline UFC 303 in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, the fight never came to be after McGregor bowed out due to a broken pinky toe.
Recent rumors suggest that their clash will be rebooked for UFC 310 in December, though no official announcements have been made.
In the meantime, ‘Mystic Mac’ has been picking a fight with former U.S. president Donald Trump after ’45’ dubbed Khabib Nurmagomedov the greatest fighter of all time. Obviously, that didn’t sit well with the Irishman.
During a recent interview courtesy of Lucky Block Casino, Michael Chandler offered his full sport to the GOP nominee and expressed his hope to see Trump in the arena when he finally settles things with McGregor on MMA’s biggest stage.
“I would love to fight Conor with Donald Trump, our 45th and soon-to-be 47th president, cage-side,” Chandler said.”That would be awesome. Obviously, he and I have hung out a couple of times and had a few conversations, so it would be awesome to have him at the fight. I think it would be great.
“The last time I spoke to Donald Trump, the fight had not been announced yet, so he was just saying, ‘Man, you deserve this fight. It’s a fight that everyone wants to see. It’s a fight that the Trump team wants to see,’ so that was the last thing that he said about it, and obviously since then, the fight got booked, contract signed, and then it changed.”
While Conor McGregor called Trump’s favoritism toward Nurmagomedov a “campaign-ending decision,” Chandler thinks that America’s favorite warrior against wokeism will be just fine come election night in November.
‘Iron’ also suggested that when it comes to Trump and McGregor, it’s the former president who has the bigger set of cojones.
“Conor’s tweets are absolutely not going to touch Donald Trump’s candidacy and presidency at all. But it shows you the hatred between Conor and Khabib is still deep. It’s real. I can’t imagine living like that. Conor and I had a nice little back and forth. I said, ‘If you had half the balls Donald Trump did, you would have shown up on June 29th,’ because Donald Trump’s got some balls.
“He says what is on his mind, and obviously I have shown my support for Donald Trump, and I believe he will win in November, and the world will be a better place because of it.”
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Tom Aspinall is pushing for Stipe Miocic to be replaced in his potential bout with Jon Jones, much like Joe Biden was swapped out in the 2024 United States Presidential election.
For context, Biden stepped out of the presidential race in July following a challenging debate against Republican nominee Donald Trump, which raised significant scrutiny about the sitting President’s mental readiness for another term.
Amid mounting pressure for the UFC to cancel Miocic’s planned title shot against the reigning heavyweight champion, UFC CEO Dana White has made it clear that the fight is still on. White has resolutely stood by his decision to reschedule the matchup, which was originally set for November 2023 at UFC 295 but had to be postponed after “Bones” suffered a serious pectoral injury.
Consequently, Aspinall capitalized on the opportunity at UFC 295, stepping in to claim the interim heavyweight title with a knockout of Sergei Pavlovich. The 31-year-old Salford native has eagerly called for a title unification bout against Jones. However, “Bones” has consistently dismissed the challenge, showing more interest in rebooking his showdown with Miocic instead.
The British powerhouse then defended his interim title against Curtis Blaydes with a first-round knockout at UFC 304, avenging his only UFC defeat. Following this triumph, Aspinall made it clear that his sights are set solely on a title unification bout as his next challenge…
During a recent interview with TNT Sports, Aspinall suggested that Miocic should follow Biden’s lead and step aside for the upcoming title clash against Jones, which is expected to take place at UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden in New York City on November 16.
“Get Stipe out of there; let’s be honest. The guy is 43 years old, he’s had a four-year layoff, and his last fight was a knockout loss,” Aspinall said. “Granted, he’s an absolute legend in this sport. He’s the best heavyweight ever — like statistically, he’s the best heavyweight ever. But the guy needs to be pulled out of the race. The guy needs to be Joe Biden’d, mate. He’s too old. No one’s that interested anymore. And I respect Stipe a lot. Pull him out, stick me in. It’s right though, isn’t it? It is right. Who’s got bothered about that anymore?”
Miocic is set to turn 42 on August 19. The former two-time UFC heavyweight champion was seen in action in March 2021, when he lost his title in a crushing second-round knockout defeat to Francis Ngannou at UFC 260.
Meanwhile, Jones last graced the Octagon at UFC 285 in March 2023, where he captured the heavyweight title with a dominant submission victory over Ciryl Gane.
Continue Reading Tom Aspinall: Stipe Miocic Needs To Be ‘Joe Biden’d’ To Allow Title Unification Against Jon Jones at MMA News.
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With the USA currently living in uncertain times, Oscar De La Hoya has decided to change his allegiance regarding Donald Trump.
Since his inauguration into office in 2017, Trump has divided opinion among the American people. While some doubts still remain, the 45th President of the United States has received a wave of support since surviving an almost fatal assassination attempt.
One man that has turned the doubt into praise for Donald Trump is boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya. During a recent interview, De La Hoya questioned the state his country is in under the current leadership.
“Where I’m at today, I just feel that our country needs help,” De La Hoya said on the PBD Podcast. “It really needs help.”
“I was born in California, in Los Angeles. Taxes are through the roof right now. I’m walking my streets, I have a place in Beverly Hills, and even there you see the homelessness. The situation is just getting worse.”
“I’m not sure if it’s this party’s fault or that party’s fault but America needs help. And right now with our current president, I just feel that it’s not getting the help necessary to make this country what it is.”
“Our country is great. It should be great. Better than any country in the world. I just personally feel it’s not.”
Related: Dana White blasts CNN host: ‘You guys are really bad’
De La Hoya later insisted that Trump is the right man to take the country forward — backtracking on his past ‘America sucks’ comment.
“I would consider it [voting for Trump], I literally would consider it. I have to tell you a little secret here, I actually just purchased the Donald Trump shoes…”
“Nobody knows it, I’m really considering it. Whether it’s Trump or somebody else, our country needs help. It just needs help.”
“I don’t know exactly what the policies are and where we can get help from and what we can change but our country needs help.”
Watch Oscar De La Hoya speak about Donald Trump below.
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