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The boxing match between former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson and influencer-boxer Jake Paul was originally scheduled to take place on July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, but the bout has been postponed.  

Earlier this week, on a flight from Florida to Los Angeles, Tyson experienced some worrying signs of nausea and dizziness.  The 57-year old was seen being pushed in a wheelchair leaving the airport.  Following the incident, Tyson’s team released a short statement saying he was ‘doing great.’    

“Thankfully, Mr. Tyson is doing great,” insisted Tyson’s team following the scare. “He became nauseous and dizzy due to an ulcer flare up 30 minutes before landing.”

Due to the ulcer flare up, the fight has been postponed.  A new date for the fight will to be announced on June 7, according to Most Valuable Promotions, Paul’s promotional company who is organizing the event.  The fight is expected to remain at AT&T Stadium.

“I want to thank my fans around the world for their support and understanding during this time,” Tyson said in a statement. “Unfortunately, due to my ulcer flareup, I have been advised by my doctor to lighten my training for a few weeks to rest and recover. My body is in better overall shape than it has been since the 1990s and I will be back to my full training schedule soon.

“Jake Paul, this may have bought you some time, but in the end you will still be knocked out and out of boxing for good. I appreciate everyone’s patience and can’t wait to deliver an unforgettable performance later this year.” 

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UFC

Dustin Poirier may be a sizeable betting underdog for his title fight against UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev tomorrow night (Sat., June 1, 2024) at UFC 302 live on ESPN+ PPV from inside Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., but “Diamond” is still one of the biggest fan favorites on the card.

As one of the most entertaining and exciting fighters in UFC history, Poirier commands a following wherever he goes. And even though he has never cashed in on an undisputed UFC title shot fight fans are still counting on Poirier to pull of the impossible this weekend at UFC 302. Remember, Makhachev has won his last 12 trips to the Octagon and is currently the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the sport. It’s going to be a tough day at the office for Poirier if he wants to cap off his career with the ultimate upset.

Earlier this week, fight fans showed massive love for Poirier as he was exiting UFC 302’s pre-fight press conference (replay HERE). Poirier, who grew up in Lafayette, Louisiana, was seen walking down Lafayette Street in Newark. That’s when a hoard of crazed supporters spotted “Diamond” and rushed him like he was The Beatles. Security had to usher Poirier as he made his way down the road.

Check it out in the above video player and an alternate angle below:

Poirier, who turned 35 earlier this year, is coming off a beautiful knockout stoppage over Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 299 this past March. That performance ultimately landed Poirier his third shot at undisputed UFC gold, but Saturday’s walk to the Octagon at UFC 302 could very well be his last. Maybe that’s why fight fans are taking extra notice.

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 302 fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches at 6 p.m. ET, followed by the remaining undercard balance on ESPN2/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 302: “Makhachev vs. Poirier” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here. For the updated and finalized UFC 302 fight card and ESPN+ lineup click here.

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Nick Diaz returns for the first time in three years when he faces Vicente Luque at UFC Abu Dhabi in August, but it turns out UFC had a different idea in mind for his opponent.

Ahead of his fight at UFC 302, Kevin Holland revealed that he was actually offered Diaz, but ultimately turned down the matchup in favor of heading back up to middleweight for a showdown with Michal Oleksiejczuk on Saturday in New Jersey instead.

“It kind of got presented to me,” Holland said at UFC 302 media day. “I was supposed to be taking a fight at 170 against a pretty named opponent but they said he wasn’t going to be able to fight until August, so I was like, ‘Damn, that’s a long time.’ They’re like, ‘Bro, it’s only an extra month,’ and I’m like, ‘No, it’s too long.’ I got this, I’m happy with it. I guess that fight’s not going to circle back because I see he just got booked. We’ll see what happens after.

“It was Diaz. I knew he was coming back to fight. I just thought I was going to smoke him and then I was going to smoke Luque too, but those two are fighting each other so they can smoke each other. Two big-ass joints.”

While Diaz would’ve been a much bigger fight given his legendary status in the sport, Holland says none of that has ever really mattered to him.

With consecutive losses on his résumé to Jack Della Maddalena and Michael “Venom” Page in his most recent fights, Holland is far more concerned with just getting back in the cage to compete again.

“I don’t want to wait for nobody,” Holland said. “It’s like, waiting is just not a game that I’ve ever really been [good with]. Waiting to get paid, waiting to scrap — it just sucks.

“It’s usually when I lose, when I’m waiting to fight. I usually get my ass beat. I’m waiting around, I’m probably partying. You just don’t see it because I’m not as popular as Conor [McGregor].”

Holland also admitted he had no desire to fight in Abu Dhabi, a country that employs strict laws against drug use and possession.

The UFC veteran has openly discussed using marijuana as part of his daily life. In Abu Dhabi, indulging that habit could come with stiff penalties such as fines or even jail time. That was enough of a deterrent for Holland to pass on competing there, and he was actually surprised Diaz — an infamous marijuana user himself — agreed to go there.

“I wasn’t going to Abu Dhabi,” Holland said. “I don’t understand why the f*ck either one of us would want to go to Abu Dhabi. I think it’s a beautiful place, and if they allowed us some greenery for the week, we’ll be there. But no greenery, it’s just hard for me.

“You already have to do it fight week. You get here, you don’t smoke. But it’s just the thought that right after I knock this guy out, I can’t go smoke no weed? It’s like, f*ck. I don’t know how people do it.”

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UFC

UFC 302 takes place this Saturday in Newark, N.J., headlined by a lightweight title fight between Islam Makhachev and Dustin Poirier. It’s Makhachev’s chance to tie the record for consecutive lightweight title defenses, while Poirier has one final opportunity to finish his story and claim undisputed UFC gold. Who will win and what are the other best bets available this weekend? Let’s dive in.

As always, all odds are courtesy of our friends at DraftKings Sportsbook.

Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Straight Bets

Paulo Costa (+215)

In the co-main event, Costa takes on former middleweight champion Sean Strickland, and “Borrachinha” has a very good chance to pull off the upset. Strickland has become an elite middleweight over the past few years, even dominating Israel Adesanya to claim the belt, but he has a few major flaws, and the biggest one is style. Strickland has a pressuring, defense-first style that prioritizes jabs, and while it’s very effective, it makes fights appear closer than they maybe should be. Both Dricus du Plessis and Jared Cannonier won decisions over Strickland by simply punching much harder than he does, and swaying the judges with the impact of their blows. Costa is cut from that same cloth, and he’ll be in there throwing as much as Strickland does but with much more power behind each shot. I view this as a coin flip fight, so there’s plenty of value on Costa at these odds.

Joe Solecki (+390)

Another value play, Solecki takes on top-15 lightweight Grant Dawson in an undercard matchup, and I think this line is WAY off. Dawson is the second-biggest favorite on the card behind only Makhachev, and the truth is, Dawson doesn’t deserve to be. Yes, he’s a great grappler, but Solecki is no slouch on the floor either, and Dawson has a bit of a tendency towards having closer fights than you would imagine. Dawson is the better wrestler and that probably does carry the day here, but Solecki is fighting in his home state and has proven to be a very tough out for most. These odds make him a value.

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Prop Bets

Islam Makhachev vs. Dustin Poirier OVER 2.5 Rounds (+140)

I did a full breakdown of this fight already, but the short version is this: This is a bad stylistic matchup for Poirier, but not as bad as Khabib Nurmagomedov was. Makhachev can take Poirier down almost at will, and I suspect he won’t be goaded into striking with “The Diamond,” but he’s not the same threat from the top as Khabib was. Yes, Makhachev is exceptional from top, but he’s much more of a pressure and control grappler than Khabib, who would rain hellfire on opponents and then move back to position if they scrambled out. Makhachev does not like to give up position, and so there’s a high likelihood that though he gets Poirier down repeatedly, he doesn’t tire Poirier out and make him desperate like Khabib did. That leads to a longer fight where Makhachev is dominant but not threatening a finish.

I think this fight makes it into the championship rounds and possibly even goes to the cards. Love this bet.

Jailton Almeida vs. Alexander Romanov OVER 1.5 Rounds (-120)

Fresh off his loss to Curtis Blaydes, Almeida looks to rebound against fellow grappler Romanov, and he has a pretty good chance to do so. Almeida took Blaydes down almost at will, and Blaydes is a substantially better wrestler than Romanov, so I suspect Almeida will have his way there yet again. Still, Romanov is a big man and an accomplished grappler in his own right, so I think he’ll be able to defend himself well enough. This fight has a fair chance at going the distance given the style matchup, so I like over 1.5 rounds at these odds.

Photo by Pedro Vilela/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Parlay of the Week

There are few things I love more in this world than a gimmick parlay, and Saturday provides a perfect opportunity for one as there are two men competing with the last name Almeida, and both of them are fighting Romans.

Jailton Almeida (-325)

As mentioned above, I think this fight is going long and that should favor Almeida. Romanov has never had great cardio, and so barring something strange happening early, Almeida should have a straightforward time of things on Saturday.

Cesar Almeida (-118)

A former GLORY kickboxer who famously has a win over Alex Pereira, Almeida is being thrown straight into the deep end of 185 pounds against Roman Kopylov after making a successful UFC debut. This is Pereira-esque matchmaking as Kopylov almost never shoots for takedowns, meaning the kickboxer should get to do his thing. I say “should” because Kopylov is a combat sambo world champion and thus could take the Waldo Cortes-Acosta method of least resistance, but I’m hoping he doesn’t, and that once again, GLORY kickboxing proves to be among the strongest bases for MMA.

Parlay these two bets together for +141 odds.

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Dustin Poirier to Win by Submission (+2200)

Is Poirier going to win on Saturday? No. If he somehow does, could it possibly be by submission? Zero percent chance. So then isn’t this an objectively bad bet? Only if you live your life by math.

Me? I live by vibes. We’re not betting to pay the rent here, gambling is supposed to be fun. And what outcome could possible be more fun than having money down on Dustin Poirier to finally win the lightweight title and do so by jumping the gilly? I know where I want my money on Saturday. What about you? Be on the right side of history.

Paulo Costa to Win by Split of Majority Decision (+2200)

If you read the breakdown up above, I think this is a razor close fight where Strickland will land “better” but Costa will look more impressive, even if some of those shots are getting blocked. Historically, that’s led to split decisions losses for Strickland. At these odds, I’ll take a flyer on it happening again.

Wrap Up

Been a while since we’ve done one of these what with the off week, but last time out we managed to cash some bets. Let’s hope we do the same this Saturday.

Until next week, enjoy the fights, good luck, and gamble responsibly!

All information in this article is provided to readers of MMA Fighting for entertainment, news, and amusement purposes only. It is the responsibility of the reader to learn and abide by online gambling laws in their region before placing any online sports betting wagers.

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The fighters competing on Saturday’s UFC 302 event officially weighed in on Friday morning.  At 5 p.m. ET they will participate in the ceremonial weigh-in with fans in attendance.  

UFC 302 takes place at the Prudential Center and is headlined by a lightweight title bout between Islam Makhachev and former interim titleholder Dustin Poirier. In the co-main event, former middleweight titleholder Sean Strickland takes on former title challenger Paulo Costa. 

UFC 302 Ceremonial Weigh-In

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Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul has been postponed.

On Sunday, Tyson reportedly had a medical incident while boarding a plane in Miami, becoming “nauseous and dizzy due to an ulcer flare-up.” Ultimately, Tyson announced on Monday that he was feeling “100 percent” better following the incident. At the time, Paul also noted that nothing had changed with regard to the fight, but it appears that was wishful thinking.

On Friday, Netflix, which is the streaming provider for the event, announced that the boxing bout will be postponed from its planned July 20 date, as the incident limited Tyson’s ability to train properly ahead of the fight.

“Unfortunately Jake Paul and Mike Tyson will not face-off on July 20 as planned. Tyson’s recent ulcer flare up has limited his ability to train fully for the next few weeks.

“The fight will be rescheduled for a date later this year after Mike’s able to resume training with no limitations and both fighters can have equal time to prepare for this once-in-a-lifetime matchup!”

Paul’s promotion, Most Valuable Promotions, also addressed the move in a press release on Friday, including quotes from Tyson and Paul.

“Both Mike and Jake are in agreement that it is only fair to ensure that both athletes have equal training time to prepare for this important match and are able to compete at the highest level,” MVP said. “The health and well-being of athletes is our top priority, and we fully support Mike in taking the necessary time to allow him to perform at the level he expects of himself.”

“My body is in better overall shape than it has been since the 1990s and I will be back to my full training schedule soon,” Tyson said. “Jake Paul, this may have bought you some time, but in the end you will still be knocked out and out of boxing for good. I appreciate everyone’s patience and can’t wait to deliver an unforgettable performance later this year.”

“I fully support postponing the event so Mike Tyson has no excuses come fight night,” said Paul. “My fans know I don’t want to face Iron Mike at anything but his best, but let there be no mistake – when he steps into the ring with me, I will be ready to claim my W with a sensational finish. Paul vs Tyson will be one for the ages, and I promise to bring my best for this once-in-a-lifetime matchup.”

Tyson is 57 years old and has not competed since an exhibition bout against Roy Jones Jr. in November 2020. Paul most recently knocked out Ryan Bourland in March, moving to 9-1 in his professional boxing record.

The announcement for a new date for Tyson vs. Paul is expected by June 7.

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