Breaking news on this Thursday as Belal Muhammad is out of his UFC 310 main event with Shavkat Rakhmonov due to a bone infection.
On an all-new edition of Between the Links, the panel gives their first reactions to the news, discuss the latest information, and what the UFC can do to save the card.
Additionally, they answer fan questions about Ilia Topuria’s big win at UFC 308, what’s next for the current featherweight king after knocking out Max Holloway, and if Alexander Volkanovski or Diego Lopes should be next for the belt. Additionally, topics may include Khamzat Chimaev’s absolute destruction of former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker in the co-main event, other standout moments from the card, Dana White vs. Francis Ngannou, Donn Davis, and the PFL, UFC Edmonton headlined by Brandon Moreno vs. Amir Albazi, and much more.
Host Mike Heck is joined by MMA Fighting’s Jed Meshew to answer your questions all show long.
Watch the show live at 12:30 p.m. ET / 9:30 a.m. PT in the video above.
If you miss the show live, you can still watch above, or listen to the podcast version, which can be found below and on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your pods.
Namajunas may not be next in line for a title shot, but she plans to leave no questions as to her worth as a contender with a win over Erin Blanchfield in Edmonton.
Rose Namajunas returns to the cage for the third time in 2024 this Saturday (Nov. 2, 2024) at UFC Edmonton. And she hopes a solid performance against Erin Blanchfield in the ESPN+-streamed co-main event will earn her a women’s Flyweight title shot.
Namajunas is ranked No. 5 and is coming into this bout against the No. 3-seeded Blanchfield on a two-fight win streak. Add in the star power of “Thug Rose” and you’d almost expect her to get next off a win.
The only problem? A decision loss to No. 2-ranked Manon Fiorot, who is undefeated (7-0) in UFC.
“I guess anything’s possible,” Namajunas said of a title shot (video via MMA Junkie). “And yeah, that’s my intention to put on a good performance enough to where there’s no doubt that I could be next.
“But, I still just kinda feel like Manon deserves it next anyways, regardless of what I do,” she added. “You know what I mean? She technically has a [win] over me. I do feel like if that was a five round fight, I think I could have found a way to win. I was finding it towards the end. But it is what it is. If she wins the belt, then it would be great to fight her again. Or have that dream match up with Valentina one day.”
In the end, it’s not Namajunas that makes the call, and if the call came, she’d answer it.
“If the UFC wanted to put me ahead of [Fiorot] with a very spectacular performance, I’d be open to that as well,” she clariefied.
Fighting current champion, Valentina Shevchenko, would be a dream for Namajunas … and possibly the highest profile women’s fight UFC could make in the division.
Remember when @RoseNamajunas did THIS to become a two-time UFC champion?!
‘Thug Rose’ returns at #UFCEdmonton on Saturday! pic.twitter.com/FKMjvPSic5
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) October 28, 2024
“She’s definitely always been my favorite female fighter,” Namajunas said of Shevchenko. “She’s somebody that I admire a lot and trained with a lot. It’d be hard for me to not just be fanning out like while I’m fighting her, it’d be kind of weird. But, as a martial artist, it’d be the ultimate dream just to test myself against one of the cherished martial artists in the game right now.”
One thing Namajunas has over Fiorot is activity.
Indeed, the French “Beast” has competed just once per-year for the past two years. Namajunas used to fight sporadically and then disappear for stretches. Since losing to Fiorot in her Flyweight debut (and dislocating her finger in the process), “Thug Rose” has had the most active year since coming off The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) in 2014-2015.
Then there’s also her popularity, which goes a long way in today’s UFC. She’s a two-time champion with wins over some of the most fearsome women at Strawweight. That’s earned her a lot of cred, which could cash in off one more big win.
As good and deserving as Fiorot is of a title shot, Namajunas absolutely could steal next at 125 pounds if she puts a beating on Blanchfield in Edmonton this weekend.
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Edmonton fight card right here, starting with the ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. ET, before the main card start time at 8 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+).
To check out the latest and greatest UFC Edmonton: “Moreno vs. Albazi” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.
Germaine de Randamie | Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Former UFC featherweight champion Germaine de Randamie has “left the building” and retired from mixed martial arts, she announced Thursday.
The 40-year-old veteran, who returned to the cage in April of 2024 after recently giving birth to a son, revealed she has decided to walk away from the sport without a farewell bout. The Dutch striker was offered a fight with Jacqueline Cavalcanti on Jan. 11, but said, “I promised myself I would retire from fighting December 31st, 2024.”
“This is not how I imagined it, envisioned it and dreamed about it. Absolutely not,” de Randamie said on a video posted on social media. “But sometimes in life, you got to roll with the punches, like they say, right? The last couple of weeks I’ve been in close contact with the UFC, since I’ve been cleared by the doctor, and I literally begged them for a fight this year. I begged them, give me one more fight this year. But unfortunately, the UFC told me they had no more spots left on the cards. Every card was fully booked for this year, which in a way of course disappointed me because, like I said, I’ve not envisioned it this way. This is not the way I wanted to do it, and it hurts, but it is what it is. So that’s why I’m shooting you this message. After 25 years, I’m gonna lay my gloves down. This is it. No more fighting.”
De Randamie leaves MMA with a record of 10-5 with seven of those wins under the UFC banner, including a featherweight title win over Holly Holm and victories against future MMA champions in Julianna Peña, Raquel Pennington and Larissa Pacheco. “The Iron Lady” lost a decision to Norma Dumont in her final UFC fight.
“I wish I had one more fight. One more fight. I wanted to make that work so bad one more time, but like I said, it’s not going to happen,” de Randamie said. “So I decided it’s time to lay my gloves down. I’m retiring from fighting. It’s been 25 years of an amazing rollercoaster with the highs of the highs and the lows of the lows. Things I couldn’t imagine having. I am blessed that I was able to do what I did. And I’ll still continue to train and be a part of some people’s amazing journey, but actively I’m retiring from MMA today.
“I want to thank you all. Also to the UFC, thank you all. It’s been an amazing ride. And don’t forget, I always say, die with memories, not dreams. The Iron Lady has finally left the building.”
Check de Randamie’s full retirement speech below.
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A post shared by Germaine de Randamie (@ironladymma)
Former PFL champion and upcoming finalist Brendan Loughnane has been around the UK MMA scene for a long time. The veteran has long been considered one of the most talented fighters in the region and he finally got his breakthrough when he signed with the PFL after fighting all over the world before that.
During a recent episode of Uncaged by talkSPORT, Loughnane used his knowledge of the wide range of competitors to pick out a fighter that is set to return to the Octagon this weekend as his most underrated fighter from the UK. Wales’ Jack Shore is back in action on Saturday night when he heads to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
“The Tank” will make his third appearance as a featherweight by taking on Youssef Zalal in a fight that has gone totally under the radar for most fight fans. Shore is looking to bounce back from a controversial loss last time out at UFC 301 where his fight with Joanderson Brito was stopped due to a cut on his shin.
The 29-year old was 16-0 before being stopped by Ricky Simón in his final fight at 135-pounds and was attracting some hype off of his five fight win streak. Though Loughnane is reserving judgement on whether he can replicate that same level of success in the featherweight division, he believes Shore has all the skills he needs to compete at the highest level.
“I think he’s the most underrated UK fighter right now, I really do, Jack Shore. I think he’s had a bit of bad luck but I think when he puts it together mate, like I don’t know about this move to featherweight…let’s just see, let’s just make an assumption after this fight but I really rate Jack and his team and I think he flies under the radar.”
Continue Reading Former PFL Champion Labels UFC Featherweight The Most Underrated Fighter In The UK at MMA News.
Sean O’Malley’s coach Tim Welch believes his fighter is a tough matchup for Ilia Topuria.
This past Saturday, Topuria solidified his reign atop the featherweight division, knocking out Max Holloway in the main event of UFC 308. Next up for Topuria appears to be a rematch with former champion Alexander Volkanovski, with Diego Lopes also waiting in the wings. But while those matchup seem destined to take place, Welch believes Topuria’s biggest challenge could come from his bantamweight charge.
“I do think stylistically there is Sean could give Ilia problems,” Welch told Submission Radio. “He really could. But Ilia topuria is a very, very scary fight… You make one mistake with Ilia Topuria and you’re going to be lights out, looking up at the ceiling or whatever. That’s a scary, scary fight, but I do believe that Sean, with his range and with his speed and with his overall skill set, he could give Ilia problems. I do believe that.”
This is not the first time O’Malley’s camp has thrown out a possible matchup with Topuria. After successfully defending his bantamweight title against Chito Vera, “Suga” teased a possible champ vs. champ matchup, but was ultimately made to fight Merab Dvalishvili instead. Dvalishvili won a dominant decision to take the title and, at least for now, take a matchup with Topuria off the table.
One matchup that may be on the table for O’Malley is a rematch with Dvalishvili. Though UFC CEO Dana White has said Umar Nurmagomedov should be first up for Dvalishvili, both O’Malley and his rival have campaigned for the rematch. And if somehow the stars align and give O’Malley another crack at Dvalishvili, Welch is confident things will go differently this time, and put the Topuria matchup back on the table.
“A healthy Sean, I do believe we go out there and end up KOing Merab in between some sort of scramble or something,” Welch said. “On the in-betweens, I think Sean will be able to catch his chin and put him down.
TOP STORIES
Relatable. Ben Askren sees similarities between how Dana White treats Francis Ngannou and himself.
Next. Dricus du Plessis wants Khamzat Chimaev for his next middleweight title defense.
MVP. Michael “Venom” Page wants Shara Bullet fight at middleweight next.
BMF. Kamaru Usman believes he had a major hand in the BMF title.
Rankings. Khamzat Chimaev made big moves up the latest middleweight rankings.
VIDEO STEW
MMA Fighting Global Rankings Show.
Michael Page interview.
UFC Edmonton Media Day.
Dricus du Plessis on TMZ Sports.
FLAVOR IN YOUR EAR
No Bets Barred.
SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE
Justin Gaethje gets dropped by a body shot during training.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Gladiators Unleashed (@gladiators_unleashed)
Testing the waters.
Are u guys really wanting to see this ? pic.twitter.com/C7XVIyIkSC
— Paulo Costa ( Borrachinha ) (@BorrachinhaMMA) October 30, 2024
Gotta get that studying in.
pic.twitter.com/7wZwapoMJM
— BONY (@JonnyBones) October 30, 2024
Jockeying for position.
I have always wanted to fight in Saudi maybe I will push for that card . I will see when and where the UK card is first though
— LERONE MURPHY (@LeroneMurphy) October 30, 2024
It amazes me that central Florida UFC fighters are not on a central Florida UFC card.
Do you not want to sell out the venue ?
Local fighters/local card?@phillyfreshmma @twrecks155 @innerGmma_ufc There are even 9-0, 7-1, 11-2, 11-5 7-0 Pros here that would LOVE short notice.
— Mike “Beast Boy” Davis (@MikeDavisMMA) October 30, 2024
Chris Curtis is enjoying Thailand.
I got into a fight with a couple of chickens on the way to the gym. Like straight up squares up on a chicken
— Chris Curtis The Action Man (@Actionman513) October 30, 2024
Abdulrashid Sadulaev is one bad man.
Sadulaev defeated David Taylor 7-0
Check out the scoring highlight⬇️ pic.twitter.com/WpZl45EK9V
— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) October 30, 2024
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Ailin Perez (11-2) vs. Karol Rosa (18-6); UFC 311, Jan. 18.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I’m sure Topuria is losing sleep over Sean O’Malley moving up. I mean, what would he do? Sure, he could take Sean down easily and submit him, but he could also knock Sean into the next dimension. The plethora of choices for how to win would simply be too much for Topuria, breaking his brain and leading to a TKO (short circuit) victory for O’Malley.
EXIT POLL
If you find something you’d like to see in the Morning Report, hit up @AlexanderKlee or @JedKMeshew on Twitter and let us know about it. Also, follow MMAFighting on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and like us on Facebook.
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