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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

Tom Aspinall will be ready to fight whoever, and whenever, when the UFC returns to Manchester in July, but he understands why fans in the United Kingdom might be upset with the promotion in regards to when that event will begin.

UFC 304 takes place July 27 at the new Co-op Live in Manchester, England, and Aspinall is expected to defend his interim heavyweight title on that card. The problem for local fans is when Aspinall’s fight will take place, since the event will have the same start times as U.S. pay-per-views do — which means the final few fights will happen in the early morning hours of Sunday. Aspinall responded to a fan question about this very topic on his YouTube channel.

“Well, as an athlete, as a fighter, in all honesty, it doesn’t make that much difference — probably for a couple of weeks before I’ll have to wake up and train at that time, or stay up, or whatever,” Aspinall said. “I’ve flown across the world multiple times and fought on different time zones, so it’s not as bad as that.

“As a fan who wants to watch it live, I think it is absolutely terrible. I think… yeah, it’s just not fair on the fans, not fair on the U.K. fans.”

Aspinall captured the interim title with a first-round knockout against Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 this past November.

While he feels for his local fanbase, and would like to see the event take place for their specific time zone, as opposed to catering the U.S. audience, Aspinall is thrilled the promotion is heading back to the city.

“Obviously, it’s predominantly an American audience, so I understand that they want to sell to them,” Aspinall explained. “But why can’t they sell to them in the afternoon — which is our evening time? Why can’t the Americans watch it in the afternoon? And the U.K. fans, the Manchester fans, the European fans, can all fly to this event [and] sell out this new arena.

“I mean, it’s going to sell out regardless, mate. We’re very, very, very, very lucky to have a pay-per-view event in Manchester. Very lucky. But U.K. MMA, let’s put it on U.K. time.”

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Plotting his own respective route back to lightweight gold, former division champion, Charles Oliveira hopes to stand opposite Conor McGregor in his return to the Octagon – picking the Dubliner to prevail with a win at UFC 302 at the end of June. 

Oliveira, the current number two ranked lightweight contender, returned at UFC 300 earlier this month in an officially-billed title-elimonator clash with the surging Arman Tsarukyan on the event’s main card.

And suffering a close, contentious split decision loss to the Armenian, Oliveira questioned how his search for numerous submission attempts including tight guillotine and D’Arce choke variations, was beaten out on the judge’s scorecards en route to a defeat.

As for McGregor, the former duel-division champion is finally set to make his first outing inside the Octagon in almost three years, taking headlining honors at UFC 302 at the end of June, in a welterweight scrap against rival, Michael Chandler during International Fight Week.

Weighing up a slew of potential rematches in the aftermath of UFC 300, Sao Paulo fan-favorite, Oliveira suggested a re-run with both Justin Gaethje, and recently-minted BMF titleholder, Max Holloway in his return.

Charles Oliveira eyes Conor McGregor after UFC 302

And furthermore, a potential clash with Dublin star, McGregor also appears to be at the forefront of Oliveira’s wishlist – who claims he has campaigned continually to land a fight with the former two-weight gold holder.

“I think Conor (McGregor) [beats Michael Chandler at UFC 303],” Conor McGregor told Full Violence during a recent interview. “Man, everyone knows – in fact, I’ve asked for this fight against Conor a thousand times.”

“But it’s a fight that I don’t think he wants this fight,” Charles Oliveira explained. “And everyone knows it. I’ve said it a thousand times, it’s a fight that will bring me a lot of money. So, I would like it.”

Who wins in a future fight after UFC 302: Charles Oliveira or Conor McGregor?

LowKickMMA.com

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

On the first episode of UFC 301 Embedded, flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja talks about how important his team is, Steve Erceg recalls the surprising call to fight for the title, Jonathan Martinez gets ready to fight a legend, Jose Aldo prepares for his return to the octagon, and more.

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Not out of the mix
| BJPenn.com

Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight!

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

Former UFC champion Ronda Rousey has burned a lot of bridges since walking away from her UFC career. Of course, if you ask “Rowdy,” she might say the opposite and argue that people turned against her after a couple difficult losses. Either way, there was a lot of tension and conflict amidst the Rousey downfall that lingers to this day.

Recently, Rousey has made headlines while promoting her new book, Our Fight. Aside from discussing her concussion issues in the lead up to competition, Rousey really struck back at media members like Joe Rogan, labeling them “a bunch of assh—es” for failing to support at her lowest point.

Now, at least one member of the media is striking back. Former UFC color commentator Jimmy Smith is standing up to Rousey’s recent comments, and he describes her as a terror behind the scenes. According to Smith, Rousey has no right to play the victim card when she was actively bullying the people trying to interview here.

“I’ve never been a religious person,” Smith began. “One thing that’s always said about God, he gets all the credit, none of the blame. That’s what Ronda Rousey wants: all the credit, none of the blame. I want credit for all my wins; my losses I had CTE and I had this and I had that. ‘I’m the greatest to ever do it,’ but when it didn’t work, it was so and so and never me. She never gives credit to the people who actually beat her. The idea that ‘I left MMA and went to the WWE cause I had concussion problems’ makes no sense!”

He continued, “The people behind the scenes: camera people, audio people, the people you can push around, and the people you can bully, and the people you can talk down to —Can’t stand your f—king ass. Everybody behind the scenes that had to put a mic on Ronda Rousey couldn’t stand her. I said why? They said ‘She was a b—ch to us from the moment she sat down, to the moment she got up.’

“Like it’s our fault that she has to do this interview to hype her next fight and she’s just miserable, and she’s mean to us, and we can’t stand her. They were cheering when she got knocked out … Those are the people you can be mean to and rude to, and they can’t fight back. Those people couldn’t stand Ronda Rousey, so don’t sit here and tell me that you’re the victim. When the poor guy sitting behind the camera is doing his job, gets s—t on by you or you’re mean to the person asking you questions when we’re hyping your fight, don’t give me this victim s—t.”

Though Smith wasn’t working as UFC commentator during Rousey’s reign, he was certainly active in the media during her time as a fighter and the subsequent fallout. I cannot remember many explosive Jimmy Smith headlines in my own decade plus of covering the sport, so it would appear that Smith just really feels strongly here.

I wouldn’t expect a Ronda Rousey response.

Insomnia

I’ve always liked Joaquin Buckley fights, but his increased social media presence has been one of the more pleasant 2024 surprises.

An unfortunate update to UFC 302: Anthony Hernandez is injured and out of his fight versus Roman Dolidze.

I have to say, the PFL 5 card looks like a lot of fun.

Ciryl Gane absolutely ruining the day of his mitt man and coach, Fernandez Lopez, will always be funny.

Chuck Liddell continuing to prove himself as an all-time great athlete.

Andre Fili out amongst the people, asking the real questions.

Lorenzo Hunt may have suffered a brutal injury this weekend, but this is still a great clip!

Slips, rips, and KO clips

“Little Red” Danny Lopez dropping the hurt on a large number of opponents:

Now THAT is how you respond to getting taken down! Great punching on the break.

First punch of the fight proves to be perfectly placed …

Random Land

I do not endorse this.

Midnight Music: Rock, 1969

Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

Jorge Masvidal has some harsh words for Jake Paul.

For the past several years, Masvidal and Paul have had an up and down relationship. Originally on good terms when Paul boxed Masvidal foe Ben Askren, the tenor changed over the years as Paul called for a boxing match with Masvidal. That was never possible as Masvidal is still under contract with the UFC, but earlier this year, new hope arose when Masvidal revealed the UFC allowed him to pursue a few boxing fights.

While a number of opponents were possibilities, Masvidal ultimately ended up signing to fight Nate Diaz on June 1 at the Kia Forum. And to hear Masvidal tell it, Paul was never even a consideration.

“He’s not one of the names,” Masvidal said recently on The MMA Hour when asked about the possible matchup. “And I’ll address that little coward right now because I know he’s watching this shit like a little creep.

“Listen man, the UFC don’t like your bitch-ass. [UFC CEO] Dana White don’t like your bitch-ass, obviously. [UFC CBO] Hunter Campbell don’t like your bitch-ass. So they said, ‘We’re not going to let you make money with this guy.’ Because at the end of the day, we’re partners. Me and Nate are going to make money right now. … They don’t care for that motherf*cker. That’s why Dana went and sponsored [Mike] Tyson’s camp and is helping him out and all that shit, because they don’t like him. Jake has done too much shit to Dana that’s not cool, and that’s our chief and commander. So I get it, they don’t want me to f*ck with him and make him any type of notoriety or money. They don’t give a f*ck about him.”

Paul has a notoriously bad history with White, feuding aggressively with the UFC CEO over things like fighter pay. Paul one time even proposed a one-off fight in the UFC and a wager on the matter. White, of course, was not interested and so Paul went and became a partner with the PFL, where he has even made mention of fighting Masvidal there. And that’s the thing that really made “Gamebred” mad.

“Now, f*cking Jake runs up on me somewhere else where there’s not a ring or something, we can find out, bro,” Masvidal said. “You’re talking about the PFL or something, what the f*ck are you going to do in MMA? Are you kidding me, you can’t even box, now all of a sudden you’re doing f*cking MMA? I’d kick your f*cking kneecap off your fragile body, you dumb motherf*cker. Don’t ever bring up MMA, you disrespectful piece of shit.

“And I’ll tell you why, I’ve been doing that shit since this motherf*cker was f*cking sucking on bananas and shit and shoving them down his throat on f*cking YouTube to get hits. I was f*cking fighting grown-ass men since the age of 18. My whole life. For this guy to call me out in MMA? Get the f*ck out of here you f*cking dream-selling bitch.

“I get emotional because I love my f*cking sport and I represent my f*cking sport. … Who is this idiot to call me out in MMA?”

Outside of the issue of disrespect, Masvidal also notes that the PFL part of things is a total nonstarter. The UFC is allowing him to box Nate Diaz, but there’s no chance that magnanimity would extend to a rival MMA promotion.

“I’m signed to the UFC,” Masvidal said. “Under no circumstances is the UFC going to say, ‘Here’s one of our top draws, PFL. Take him.’

“Of course! I can’t go to the PFL. I can’t go to no other MMA organization. Nate can do whatever the f*ck he wants, but me, I’m still signed to the UFC. I still owe them fights. I retired and they said, ‘We love you, you’ve done so much for the company, you want to go box? We’ll let you go do your thing, make your money.’ But obviously I can’t go fight for another company and make that company blow up. There’s no way I could be in PFL. There would be no way they’d let me go do that.”

Paul has other fish to fry at the moment anyway. The YouTuber turned boxer will face Mike Tyson in a boxing match on July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Tex., in an event that will be streamed live on Netflix. It’s a big moment for Paul as despite his age (Tyson will be 58 come fight night), Tyson is a former heavyweight world champion. And despite his issues with some of Paul’s behavior, Masvidal actually thinks “The Problem Child” will win.

“Tyson is old, man,” Masvidal said. “And Father Time is not good to anybody, especially combat athletes. He’s put in so many [rounds], he’s been getting hit by heavyweights his whole life. So I don’t know who much of Tyson is left. And I don’t dislike Jake on a personal level like with Colby. I actually like his story because he shared his story before with me about how he got into boxing and the discipline of boxing is what got him out of the evils of Hollywood and all that stuff, the life he was living. So I give it up to him, but don’t get ahead of yourself and call me out in MMA, because you know you’re not going to do that ever in your life. Ever.”

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