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Now poster-official for UFC 303 at the end of June, former undisputed duel-weight champion, Conor McGregor is set to fight Michael Chandler over the course of five rounds at the welterweight limit of 170 pounds this summer, however, the promotion’s artwork expertise have once more been called into question.

McGregor, a former undisputed lightweight and featherweight champion under the banner of the organization, has been sidelined for almost three years, most recently fracturing his left tibia and fibula in a first round doctor’s stoppage TKO loss to Dustin Poirier.

As for Chandler, It’s been over two year since we’ve last seen the ex-Bellator MMA champion compete inside the Octagon, with the above-mentioned, Poirier submitting him atop UFC 281 at Madison Square Garden in their grudge match.

Conor McGregor sees Michael Chandler fight at UFC 303 become poster-official

And finally booking a summer showdown at the end of International Fight Week – McGregor versus Chandler became poster-official tonight across social media, with the organization releasing the official UFC 303 poster.

“June 29th. Conor vs. Chandler. 5 rounds. 170lbs,” UFC posted on their official X account, accompanied by the event’s official poster. 

Stoking the flames on their intense rivalry over the course of the week, McGregor, who faced off with Chandler on last year’s Ultimate Fighter 31 as opposing coaches, claimed the former lightweight title challenger was nowhere near his level ahead of their showdown.

“There is (sic) levels and in 7 weeks and 5 days you are gonna see the very, very top level,” Conor McGregor posted on his official X account after UFC alum, Dan Hardy picked him to beat Michael Chandler. “This next run is for the Clan! #BeenReady”

As for Chandler, however, the Kill Cliff FC staple has claimed the condition he plans on leaving McGregor in come the culmination of UFC 303, would likely leave the Crumlin striker with no resort other than to call the curtain on his illustrious mixed martial arts career.

Who wins at UFC 303 this summer: Conor McGregor or Michael Chandler?

LowKickMMA.com

UFC

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Sydney Sweeney is getting into the ring.

The famed actress, best known for roles in the HBO series Euphoria as well as the recent hit film Anyone But You, has signed onto portray boxing legend Christy Martin in an upcoming biopic. David Michôd, who has worked on films such as Animal Kingdom and The King, is set to direct the project, with Black Bear producing the movie after previously backing Sweeney’s passion project with the horror film Immaculate.

A member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame, Martin is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of women’s boxing. She was the first woman to ever sign with iconic boxing promoter Don King and also became the first female boxer to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

In 2010, Martin hit the headlines again after her husband attempted to kill her in a violent altercation where she was stabbed several times and shot in her torso but survived the attack. Her husband was arrested and later convicted on second-degree attempted murder charges. He remains in prison after being sentenced to 25 years behind bars.

Sweeney’s interest in the project comes at least in part thanks to her passion for combat sports, having trained Brazilian jiu-jitsu growing up. She’s also been a fixture at many big UFC events after becoming an avid fan of MMA as well.

“I grappled and did kickboxing from 12-19 years old,” Sweeney told Deadline when announcing the project. “I’ve been itching to get back into the ring, train, and transform my body. Christy’s story isn’t a light one, it’s physically and emotionally demanding, there’s a lot of weight to carry. But I love challenging myself.

“Christy Martin not only legitimized female boxing, she overcame gender stereotypes, and fought through emotional, physical, and financial abuse. I’m passionate about the fighting world, Christy’s story shines a light on her incredible rise to the top while showing the struggles of fame behind the curtains. I feel compelled to tell a story about a woman who faced so much adversity and didn’t allow it to defeat her. It’s powerful, and emotional.”

There’s no title yet for the biopic, but Sweeney is expected to begin production on the film later this year, with project shooting in the U.S. Sweeney seemingly teased her upcoming transformation to play Martin after debuting some dark locks during an appearance at the Met Gala on Monday, which famously matched the hair Martin had for most of her boxing career.

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Settling a pair of antitrust lawsuits against the UFC led to a net loss for TKO Group Holdings in the first quarter of 2024, although by all accounts the company expects to bounce back rather quickly for the remainder of the year.

In a new filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday, TKO reported a net loss of $ 249.5 million for the quarter largely due to a $ 335 million settlement reached to end a pair of antitrust lawsuits.

While the settlement still has to be approved by the courts, TKO anticipates a $ 335 million payment to satisfy both lawsuits, with plans to make three separate payments to the plaintiffs involved in the case. TKO expects to make two payments totaling $ 200 million in 2024, and then another $ 135 million in 2025.

Despite the settlement resulting in a net loss for the quarter, TKO still smashed expectations from Wall Street as far as revenue and continued growth for the quarter. Overall, UFC’s revenue increased by two percent year over year, with $ 313 million earned in the first quarter 2024 versus $ 306.7 million in 2023.

“TKO is off to a strong start in 2024 with multiple record-setting live events, new brand partnerships, and media rights deals for WWE Raw,” TKO CEO Ari Emanuel said in a press release. “With our momentum in the first quarter and solid financial results, we have raised our full year 2024 guidance.

“We also reached an agreement to settle all claims asserted in both UFC antitrust lawsuits. These positive developments, along with the strength in our underlying businesses, give us more conviction than ever in the combination of UFC and WWE, and in TKO’s ability to deliver sustainable long-term value for shareholders.”

The increase in revenue at UFC was primarily driven by sponsorships and live events, with a decrease in revenue from media rights due to one less event being held during the quarter versus the same time in 2023.

At WWE, revenue was up six percent to $ 316.7 million for the quarter. TKO also announced that WWE reached an agreement with NBCUniversal for its flagship show Monday Night Raw to remain on the USA Network for the reminder of 2024 for $ 25 million, before moving the show to Netflix starting in 2025.

Netflix paid $ 5 billion over 10 years to secure the rights to Raw starting in 2025.

TKO also highlighted UFC’s success through more live events in the first quarter, along with touting UFC 300 as “one of the most successful and highest-grossing events in UFC history.”

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Wow!
| BJPenn.com

With UFC 302 just around the corner, the promotion will make one last stop at the APEX facility in Las Vegas for the UFC Vegas 92 event, topped by an important featherweight battle between No. 11-ranked Edson Barboza and undefeated English sensation Lerone Murphy.

Event: UFC Vegas 92: “Barboza vs. Murphy”
Date: Sat., May 18, 2024
Location: UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada
Broadcast: ESPN+
Start Time: 4 p.m. ET “Prelims” | 7 p.m. ET Main Card

UFC Vegas 92 Main Event On ESPN+:

145 lbs.: Edson Barboza vs. Lerone Murphy

UFC Vegas 92 Main Card on ESPN+ (7 p.m. ET):

170 lbs.: Khaos Williams vs. Carlston Harris
205 lbs.: Oumar Sy vs. Antonio Trocoli
135 lbs.: Adrian Yanez vs. Vinicius Salvador
115 lbs.: Angela Hill vs. Luana Pinheiro

UFC Vegas 92 ‘Prelims’ Card on ESPN+ (4 p.m. ET):

170 lbs.: Themba Gorimbo vs. Ramiz Brahimaj
185 lbs.: Abus Magomedov vs. Warlley Alves
155 lbs.: Victor Martinez vs. Tom Nolan
135 lbs.: Melissa Gatto vs. Tamires Vidal
115 lbs.: Piera Rodriguez vs. Ariane Carnelossi
115 lbs.: Vanessa Demopoulos vs. Emily Ducote

*Fight card, bout order and number of fights remain subject to change.*

To check out the latest and greatest UFC Vegas 92 news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive here. For more upcoming UFC events click here.

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts