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Top bantamweight contender Merab Dvalishvili is expected to fight for the title against champion Sean O’Malley later this year.  With his opponent locked in, Dvalishvili wants the fight to happen sooner than later and says he’s been eyeing a bout with O’Malley for five years.    

“I know I’m fighting him.  I just don’t know when, and I don’t have a date.  I don’t have a contract.  I’m just pushing to promote this fight,” Dvalishvili said Michael Bisping’s YouTube channel.  “I’ve been chasing him since 2019.  I want to fight him because I see him as a big challenge, and I think now is the best time to fight him.”

Dvalishvili, known for his endurance, relentless pressure and grappling plans to stand and trade with O’Malley when the to eventually fight.  He wants to show off his striking against a striker.  

“This is my dream fight, and this is the perfect time to fight him.  What’s going to happen is now I’m going to show everybody my striking,” Dvalishvili said.  “I have wrestling but I want to prove my striking and I want to go punch his face.  He thinks I’m going to wrestle.  No.  I’m going to punch.”    

“I think I’m the better guy, but I have to respect his striking,” Dvalishvili continued.  “I have to respect his striking but I believe in myself.  I respect all of my opponents especially him.  He is the champion.  He has the confidence.  He has the reach.  He has experience.  He has knockout power.  Good technique, coach.  I have to beat his coach too.”  

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

As expected, Michael Chandler wasn’t going to stay quiet when it came to Dustin Poirier’s comments about him.

On a recent edition of The MMA Hour, Poirier cut a scathing promo about Chandler in regards to his one-time opponent telling him to retire following his UFC 302 loss to Islam Makhachev. He claimed that Chandler isn’t a true UFC fighter, discussing the former Bellator champion’s potential career mismanagement waiting for the Conor McGregor fight as well as Chandler’s “Dana White privilege.”

On Thursday, Chandler responded to Poirier’s comments on Twitter.

“Dues paid but I’m living rent free,” Chandler said in response.

Poirier and Chandler battled in a barnburner at UFC 281 in November 2022 — which was Chandler’s most recent appearance — where Poirier forced “Iron” to tap out in the third round. “The Diamond” ripped into Chandler after the victory, accusing him of being “a dirty motherf*cker”.

The bad blood for Poirier continues to linger on, as he responded to Chandler’s retirement tweet in eye-opening fashion.

“Who the f*ck is ‘we,” Poirier said on The MMA Hour. “You just got here, buddy. You’re not one of us. You’re not ‘we.’ I’ve been here. ‘We’re good.’ Who’s we? Welcome to the UFC, dude. You’ve got one win in the UFC.

“He’s not one of us. I’ve been cutting my teeth in the UFC since January of 2011, 2010. He just got here. Who is we? He’s speaking for the lightweight division?

“Muscle Milk Mike needs to chill.”

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At number 1, the one, the only, Mr. Herbert Dean! And this is only counting fights in the UFC, I've seen him ref One events half way across the world on Friday nights. submitted by /u/Agreeable-Pop-535 [link] [comments]

MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

18-year-old prospect Adrian Lee has booked his second fight under the ONE Championship banner when the promotion returns to the United States on Friday, Sept. 6, at the Ball Arena in Denver.

On the card, Lee faces 2-0 pro Nicolas Cornejo in a lightweight bout, MMA Fighting confirmed with ONE Championship officials.

Lee is the latest member of his family to compete in ONE Championship, following in the footsteps of his older brother Christian Lee, who is the current ONE lightweight and welterweight champion. Another of Lee’s siblings, Angela Lee, was a long-reigning ONE atomweight champion but retired from the sport following the tragic death of their sister Victoria Lee, who also competed in ONE Championship.

Adrian made his ONE debut in June, scoring a submission victory over Antonio Mammarella.

Now he faces Cornejo, who comes into the fight with an undefeated pro record through two fights and a 5-0-1 résumé as an amateur. Cornejo hails from a wrestling background and also serves as a coach at Warrior Built MMA in Pueblo, CO.

Lee vs. Cornejo joins a growing lineup for ONE’s return to the U.S., with the main event still in flux after atomweight champion Stamp Fairtex suffered a knee injury that required surgery, derailing her champ vs. champ fight against Xiong Jing Nan.

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight veterans Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Muslim Salikhov will collide this weekend (Sat., July 13, 2024) at UFC Denver inside Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.

Ponzinibbio has lost three of his last four heading into this co-main event slot, but the Brazilian has actually been fighting rather well. Split-decision losses to Michel Pereira and Geoff Neal are nothing to be ashamed about, and he was actually handling Kevin Holland nicely prior to a third-round “Trailblazer” rally (watch it). At 37 years of age, Ponzinibbio is no longer at his most athletic, but he’s settled into the gritty veteran role nicely. Salikhov — 40 years of age himself — surely understands that situation, except he never quite had peak Ponzinibbio’s speed nor power. Fortunately, “The King of Kung Fu” remains a funky and dangerous striker capable of turning off the lights.

Let’s take a closer look at the betting odds and strategic keys for each athlete:

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Ponzinibbio vs. Salikhov Betting Odds

• Santiago Ponzinibbio victory: -205
• Santiago Ponzinibbio via TKO/KO/DQ: TBD
• Santiago Ponzinibbio via submission: TBD
• Santiago Ponzinibbio via decision: TBD
• Muslim Salikhov victory: +170
• Muslim Salikhov via TKO/KO/DQ: TBD
• Muslim Salikhov via submission: TBD
• Muslim Salikhov via decision: TBD
• Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

How Ponzinibbio Wins

It’s rare to see a fighter with such an obvious turning point in their career. In 2018, Ponzinibbio was at his best, riding a massive win streak and closing in on a title shot. Health problems and injury layoffs sidelined him for most of three years, and since his return, he’s been occupying that gritty veteran role as mentioned.

That career transition featured some technical shifts as well. Since Ponzinibbio was no longer just blowing opponents out of the water with the pure ferocity of his jab, he’s now forced to build combinations and land kicks off the strike. Generally, he’s put together a nice, technical kickboxing game but is still able to dig deep and make it ugly if necessary.

It feels necessary here. Salikhov is the pretty striker, the more dedicated range technician. He’s still a step behind Ponzinibbio physically, however, so the path to victory for the Argentinian is to stay on the front foot, mix his targets, and wear Salikhov down until a big shot upstairs becomes available.

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

How Salikhov Wins

Saklikhov lives up to his “King of Kung Fu” nickname. He’s something of a specialist in regard to spinning techniques, but he’s also a slick counter striker who can punish his opponent’s attempts to close distance.

Contrary to Ponzinibbio, Salikhov wants a slower, cleaner kickboxing match. If he’s able to dictate the distance and choose when to engage, he’ll be the man in the driver’s seat. Since Ponzinibbio can no longer rely on blinding speed to close the distance, he’ll be more vulnerable to Salikhov’s counters, particularly after being softened up by a few body kicks.

I’d like to see Salikhov focus on winning the low kick battle here, which is a solid weapon for both men. If Salikhov is the one chopping Ponzinibbio down, the Argentinian will have a more difficult time tracking him down. Conversely, if Salikhov is getting his lead leg battered, he’ll end up in the pocket versus the power puncher more often than he’d like. Salikhov has the varied kicking game to hide those low kicks and set them up well, and they could be a helpful weapon for him.

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Ponzinibbio vs. Salikhov Prediction

This should be a competitive fight for as long as it lasts, but all the x-factors go the way of Ponzinibbio. Though the two men are of similar ages and at similar points in their career, it has to be mentioned that Ponzinibbio reached a higher peak than Salikhov. Consequently, he’s been fighting a higher level of competition even late in his career.

It feels like a step up for Salikhov and step back for Ponzinibbio. The hard-nosed “Gente Boa” may take a round to find his mark, but at some point, he’s going to establish his range and start landing. It’s also a bit concerning that Salikhov went 20 professional fights without getting knocked out, but has been stopped in via strikes twice in his last four bouts.

Ponzinibbio still has quite a bit of pop in his punches …

Prediction: Santiago Ponzinibbio victory (-205)

Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Denver fight card right here, starting with the ESPN/ESPN+ “Prelims” matches, which are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. ET, then the remaining main card balance on ESPN (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10 p.m. ET.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC Denver: “Namajunas vs. Cortez” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.

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At number 1, the one, the only, Mr. Herbert Dean! And this is only counting fights in the UFC, I've seen him ref One events half way across the world on Friday nights. submitted by /u/Agreeable-Pop-535 [link] [comments]

MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

Time flies when you’re having fun, and as usual, there’s been plenty to have for fight fans.

Just past the midway point of 2024, there’s no shortage of talking points. The UFC machine continues to roll on in the face of injuries, a major lawsuit, and Conor McGregor being Conor McGregor. PFLator is on its maiden voyage. And BKFC has emerged as one of the most talked-about promotions in all of combat sports, carving out its own path while the likes of KSW, ONE Championship, and RIZIN continue to work for their pieces of the pie.

MMA Fighting’s Shaheen Al-Shatti, Mike Heck, Alexander K. Lee, and Jed Meshew take a look back at what went down over the past six months and pick out some of 2024’s best, worst, and weirdest moments so far.

Fight of the Half-Year: Max Holloway vs. Justin Gaethje — UFC 300

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Meshew: Rewind the clock a few months back to the beginning of this year. Fans were slowly working themselves into a lather about UFC 300 and how it wasn’t any good because the UFC didn’t book any incredible fights for it. And even though those fans were dumb at the time, just about every one of them shut up when UFC announced Justin Gaethje would fight Max Holloway for the BMF title.

Is the BMF belt real? No. Did anyone care? (Mike) Heck no. This was violence nirvana: The most exciting fighter in MMA history (Gaethje) vs. a top-20 exciting fighter who is also one of the most beloved (Holloway). Before the fight even happened, I declared with absolute certainty that it would be the Fight of the Year. I didn’t know how right I was.

For 24 minutes and 50 seconds, Gaethje and Holloway beat the bejesus out of each other. Gaethje was repeatedly hurt and battled back. Holloway got dropped (unofficially) for the first time in his career. The two men combined for nearly 300 significant strikes and not one second of control time. And then, with 10 seconds left, it happened.

I won’t waste more digital ink on the knockout as someone else will discuss it momentarily, but in the waning seconds of an incredible fight, one that Max Holloway was going to win by decision after dominating the fifth round, Max etched himself into history with one of the greatest finishes to a fight any of us have ever seen. It was the exclamation point that turned a phenomenal battle into an unforgettable one.

When we look back on 2024, the Fight, the Moment, the Knockout, the Everything of this year will all stand in the shadow of two of the most exciting fighters to ever do it.

Honorable Mention: Islam Makhachev vs. Dustin Poirier — UFC 302

It may not be entirely fair, but perception plays a big role in how fights are received. Case in point, the runner-up this year.

Heading into UFC 302, the mood was strange. Poirier pretty obviously did not deserve this title shot, but he’s so beloved, no one much cared. Plus, everyone was confident he would get run over, as Makhachev’s mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov had done to him previously. Instead, “The Diamond” showed just how good he is.

After a tough opening frame, Poirier gave Makhachev a hell of a time in the cage. He showed vastly improved takedown defense (always a weakness) and busted Makhachev open with a nasty elbow. Both literally and metaphorically, it was the first time we’ve seen the champion bleed. And then, Makhachev responded how champions do: He finished the fight with brutal authority.

With the fight in the balance against a surprisingly difficult opponent, Makhachev elevated himself in the final round, trapping Poirier into a sequence that allowed him to transition into a fight-ending D’Arce choke. It was a perfect conclusion to some terrific drama, with the champion asserting himself as the best fighter alive, while the beloved figure managed to impress in defeat.

Fighter of the Half-Year: Alex Pereira

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Heck: At the mid-way point of 2024, it’s “Poatan” at the front of the pack.

There are a lot of great options thus far, but Alex Pereira, the unicorn of a UFC light heavyweight champion, takes the lead into the second half of the year.

In most years, Pereira going 2-0 — with two absolutely vicious knockouts in less than nine minutes of combined octagon time — in defenses of his second divisional title would put him in pole position, but consider that he saved two of the UFC’s biggest cards of the year in the process and the feat becomes even more impressive. Jamahal Hill looked like an absolute world-beater in his win over Glover Teixeira in January 2023, and yes, while he was returning from injury at UFC 300, Pereira obliterated him.

Jiri Prochazka is an absolute lunatic and one of the three best 205-pounders on the planet. Pereira, on two weeks’ notice and with a pair of broken toes, arguably looked better than ever as he delivered an absolutely ridiculous knockout in the opening seconds of Round 2 in the main event of UFC 303.

Question is, can he hold on to the spot?

Honorable Mention: Max Holloway

If Pereira didn’t step up at UFC 303, Holloway would be the leader in the clubhouse without question after moving up in weight, dominating Justin Gaethje for 24:59, and then delivering one of the most memorable knockouts in UFC history to win the BMF title. With that win, “Blessed” likely has the opportunity next to reclaim another championship.

Despite the hot starts out of the gate from Pereira and Holloway, 2024 could end up being one of tougher votes for this category.

If Holloway gets the featherweight title shot against Ilia Topuria and delivers, “Blessed” will get A LOT of first-place votes. If Topuria beats Holloway and Volkanovski in the same year, that’s ridiculously impressive. One name many may be forgetting is Arman Tsarukyan. If the outstanding lightweight can end the year with wins over Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev, while winning the most difficult title in MMA in the process, he will have a thing or two to say about this conversation.

Knockout of the Half-Year: Max Holloway def. Justin Gaethje — UFC 300

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Al-Shatti: Ilia Topuria’s reaction said it all.

On the night of UFC 300, I wrote that someone is going to have to send a skull into orbit with a rolling thunder in the final milliseconds of a title fight to dislodge Max Holloway from this perch, and my friends, you don’t need me to tell you that hasn’t actually happened. And frankly, even if it had, we’d probably still be giving Holloway his flowers here. That’s how absurd the single most enduring image from one of MMA’s greatest ever cards is.

Once every few years, if we’re lucky, the type of moment arrives in that instantly etches itself into the sport’s all-time pantheon. The type of moment that stops time and becomes a benchmark for MMA fandom, that remains a part of our lives from now into infinity. Stick around long enough and you know exactly what I mean. Conor McGregor’s 13-second coronation. Anderson Silva’s fifth-round heroics. Fedor vs. Cro Cop in a duel of the almighties. The nights you either remember exactly where you were when they happened or hear wistful tales ad nauseam about how you’d never understand because you weren’t there. And make no mistake, Holloway’s point-down throwdown with Justin Gaethje is the latest to join that sacred list, destined to endure long after we’re all six feet in the ground.

Holloway was already a first-ballot Hall of Famer before UFC 300. Afterward, he transformed into something else entirely: An icon. Sorry to the rest, but this category is locked up until award season rolls around in full in December. Everyone else is competing for second place.

Honorable Mention: Ilia Topuria def. Alexander Volkanovski — UFC 298

All good things ends badly, otherwise they wouldn’t end at all.

That cliche may not apply to all facets of life, but more often than not it rings true in the fight game. Alexander Volkanovski can attest to that. At UFC 298, the fifth-longest consecutive title reign in UFC men’s history ended with one perfect right hook to the jaw. Volkanovski is either the greatest or second-greatest featherweight champion of all-time (depending on how you view Jose Aldo), but time is undefeated and Ilia Topuria arrived in Anaheim with the aura of a grim reaper. The charismatic Spaniard told the world what was going to happen and even changed his Instagram bio to anoint himself as the new UFC 145-pound king well before he ever stepped foot in the Honda Center and starched a legend.

Whether Topuria is a flash in the pan or can harness the same staying power of many of featherweight’s great champions before him remains to be seen, but there’s no doubt “El Matador” authored one hell of a first chapter to wherever this story ends up leading.

Submission of the Half-Year: Brian Ortega vs. Yair Rodriguez 2 — UFC Mexico City

Lee: Brian Ortega just couldn’t catch a break.

When Ortega stepped into the octagon for a rematch with Yair Rodriguez this past February, nobody knew what to expect from the two-time UFC featherweight title challenger. His first fight with Rodriguez ended in a disastrous shoulder injury for Ortega, long bouts of inactivity left him winless since October 2020, and then in a darkly comical moment, he appeared to tweak his ankle moments after entering the cage.

Suffice to say, Ortega’s misfortune didn’t appear to be anywhere close to coming to an end.

Rodriguez blistered him with his lethal standup in the first round, notching a 10-8 on one judges’ scorecard. However, Ortega’s famed resilience kicked in and he took Rodriguez to the mat in Round 2 and bludgeoned him for his own 10-8 round. Then, in the third, Ortega grounded Rodriguez for good. The submission specialist tied Rodriguez up with an arm-triangle choke and forced the tap to add another Round 3 finish to his résumé.

Given that Ortega recently came under fire for a weight debacle that led to the cancellation of his UFC 303 bout with Diego Lopes, it’s hard to remember what a cathartic moment this was, but it was inspiring to see Ortega back in the win column after facing so much adversity.

Honorable Mention: Liz Carmouche vs. Kana Watanabe 2 — PFL 4

Our honorable mention goes to another rematch with its fair share of drama, though under vastly different circumstances.

Liz Carmouche and Kana Watanabe’s rematch in this season’s PFL flyweight tournament took place three years after their first encounter at Bellator 261, when Carmouche handled Watanabe en route to a 35-second TKO win. Carmouche went on to become Bellator flyweight champion and eventually run off nine straight wins, with no marks in her loss column since dropping a regrettable decision to Valentina Shevchenko in 2019.

That unbeaten run — and just as importantly qualification for the PFL’s $ 1 million postseason — was in jeopardy after two rounds with Watanabe, with the Japanese veteran stifling Carmouche’s best attempts at offense. With time ticking away and Carmouche facing a loss on the cards, she went for broke with an armbar from bottom position and was rewarded with a clutch tapout.

Officially, there was only eight seconds remaining in the contest.

Carmouche doesn’t always get the respect she deserves, but with two league wins under her belt and pending matchups with Taila Santos and, potentially, prized PFL prospect Dakota Ditcheva, she could soon have a seven-figure bonus to remind everyone what she’s worth.

Coolest Thing: Eddie Hall has the strength of two men

Meshew: Hey, I don’t know if y’all missed it, but back in June, former World’s Strongest Man Eddie Hall did this.

Yes, that is Eddie Hall fighting two people, and yes, that is the world’s first powerbomb-into-right hand combo. (Not seen in that clip, after ending that one guy, the fight was restarted with Hall against just the other man; it was over moments later.)

Circus fights are dope and circus fights with the World’s Strongest Man are doper. Plus, afterward, Hall called for an MMA fight with former umpteen-time World’s Strongest Man Mariusz Pudzianowski. This is what MMA was supposed to be like when our Founding Fathers envisioned it.

Most Insane Thing: The Bite

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Al-Shatti: Here’s how bizarre things have gotten in 2024: Igor Severino actually violently bit a dude (Andre Lima) on a random APEX card, and that dude then went to a tattoo parlor and inked a same-night “Bite of the Night” souvenir on top of an extra $ 100,000 he collected from the sport’s most visible authority figure, and the whole saga was old news like three days later.

If Draymond Green bit a random player on the Minnesota Timberwolves on a random Tuesday night, and that dude then went and tattooed it up to the tune of a six-figure bonus from NBA commissioner Adam Silver, it’d be a story for the next four months! Anytime you think MMA has evolved past its Wild West era, it only takes a weird night like March 23 to remind you that the lawless spirit of 1993 is still embedded deep into the fabric of this dumb, beautiful sport. Nowhere else could this have been a thing. How can you not love it?

Biggest story: UFC 300

Heck: I know, I know, the easy answer is Conor McGregor and the drama of UFC 303, but for the sake of positive vibes, I’m going with UFC 300 for a number of reasons.

First of all, hosting the majority of the programming on the network gives me a pretty solid idea of trending topics and what people want to talk about. Throughout 2024, the most questions I was asked had to do with UFC 300, from whatever the main event was going to be, to if Dana White could reach the impossible expectations he put on the card, and countless others.

Not only did the card deliver in execution, UFC did something they rarely ever do: They actually had fun with it, although it took a hot minute to get us there.

Did the Pereira vs. Hill main event announcement “blow everyone’s socks off?” No, in fact, somehow I added more layers of clothing even living in South Carolina. But we sang the card’s praises once the lineup was finalized, calling it the best on-paper card in UFC history.

What I loved most about it? This was not the casual MMA fan’s card. UFC typically books for the casual fan, the newbies who go to the local pub and pretend they know about the sport because they follow Conor McGregor on Instagram. Those were the folks in all of the chats doo-dooing on this card. But UFC 300 was for us! It was for the fans who drudge through the quicksand of never-ending cards at “The World’s Most Famous APEX” two to three Saturdays a month, or the subpar road show Fight Night lineups, and even half of a pay-per-view calendar year that has been, quite frankly, underwhelming, and that might be too kind.

But on April 13, none of that mattered. UFC’s lack of effort in promotion, the company caring more about Power Slap than the actual entity that made them the MMA leader by about 30 global revolutions and the combat sports GOAT, the awful fight cards at the APEX, fighter pay, Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic — all forgotten. No, on that night, the quicksand became a conveyor belt, and the hardcore MMA fans floated through a time machine, of sorts, through simpler times, when Gladiator Man and Face the Pain set the table for chaos. Alex Pereira’s star continued to rise. Max Holloway delivered an all-timer. Zhang Weili continued her dominance. And so many other positive moments.

On the flip side, we also learned that a seemingly humbling knockout loss in a main event from a fighter who talked an incredible amount of trash heading into it can actually prove months later that not a single lesson was learned. UFC 300 had it all.

On that night at T-Mobile Arena, multiple generations of MMA fans came together for a blockbuster full of memories, enjoyment, and nostalgia. A night that reminded us that when UFC actually gives a shit, it can be magical.

Most MMA MMA Promotion of 2024 So Far: UFC

Lee: For the umpteenth year in a row, the MMA-iest of MMA promotions is — you guessed it — the UFC!

Through thick and thin, Dana White and company continue to trudge along, posting record profits, staying ubiquitous on social media (shout out to Power Slap!), and garnering massive mainstream interest with new broadcast deals on the horizon. At its heart, UFC promotes fights, but as a business entity, it has become so much more than that.

It’s no longer about giving fans the best individual fights, but instead about signing as much affordable talent as possible and trotting them out at the UFC APEX every week come hell or high water. When UFC goes on the road, events sell out before lineups are even close to being finalized, and the promotion is always operating in the black with expensive site fees now the norm (no more off-beat Fight Night towns anymore, sorry Moncton!). What was once an outlaw brand in the professional sports world is now a self-sustaining machine with no major obstacles in sight.

That last part is important to mention, because remember the antitrust lawsuit that has been hanging over UFC’s head for the past few years? It’s all but settled, with a just a few Is to be dotted and Ts left to be crossed before the nine-figure payout is resolved. A big hit for UFC, no question, until you remember that it’s a hit it can afford to take, one that will be swept under the rug by the time we’ve hit the midpoint of 2025.

Add in the partnership with fellow sports entertainment giant WWE under the TKO banner, and you can see why UFC is in no danger of trending downward anytime soon.

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Inaugural UFC bantamweight champion, Ronda Rousey has revealed she had initially started dealing with concussion-like symptoms at just 6-years-old – claiming her career in combat sports could have gone much differently if she avoided neurological issues.

Rousey, a former undisputed bantamweight champion under the banner of the UFC, called time on her combat sports career following back-to-back knockout losses to former champions, Amanda Nunes, and Holly Holm back in 2015, and 2016, respectively. 

And forever linked with a return to mixed martial arts – particularly for this year’s huge UFC 300 card, Rousey had revealed she was dealing with numerous neurological issues early on in her career in combat sports.

Furthermore, the Riverside grappler claimed she had suffered a concussion in the days ahead of her infamous title fight with Albuquerque rival, Holm, and detailed how even jab strikes during his career in the UFC left her dealing with neurological issues.

Ronda Rousey reveals concussions issues suffered at just 6 years old

Opening up further on her history with injuries, Rousey claimed at just 6 years of age, she suffered from concussion-like symptoms.

“If the concussions weren’t an issue, things would’ve happened completely differently,” Ronda Rousey told CBS Sports during a recent interview. “Accumulative neurological injuries is something people don’t talk about in MMA. It’s something that everybody is dealing with at a different pace. I started dealing with it at 6 years old. I started getting concussions much earlier on in swimming. Two kids doing a backstroke in the other direction crack heads or hit the wall during the backstroke.”

“I started doing judo at a young age and kept getting concussions regularly and multiple times a year and not being allowed to speak up or say anything about it,” Ronda Rousey continued. “As a fighter, you’re not supposed to show any weaknesses or talk about things like that or the inevitable neurological decline that comes with taking headshots. A lot of people talk about it as if it’s making excuses or weakness.”

What are your thoughts on Ronda Rousey’s career in the UFC?

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