Light heavyweights Johnny Walker and Bogdan Guskov are expected to meet at the upcoming UFC 311 card, which is set to take place on Jan. 18 with a location still to be determined, although Los Angeles is the rumored destination.
Multiple people with knowledge of the promotion’s plans confirmed the news to MMA Fighting on Monday. Red Corner MMA initially posted the news.
Walker returns to action in January with hopes of returning to the win column after going 0-2 with one no contest in his past three fights. Most recently, Walker suffered a first-round knockout loss to Volkan Oezdemir at the UFC’s first ever card in Saudi Arabia.
While the Brazilian has fallen on harder times, he remains a constant threat at 205 pounds with impressive wins over names like Anthony Smith and Paul Craig in recent years.
As for Guskov, the 32-year-old fighter from Uzbekistan looks to build on the momentum from his past two fights where he knocked out Ryan Spann and Zac Pauga. Overall, Guskov has gone 2-1 in the UFC with his loss also coming to Oezdemir when he fell to the one-time title challenger by submission back in September 2023.
Walker vs. Guskov is the latest addition to the UFC 311 card with a main event still to be determined. There are rumors that lightweight champion Islam Makhachev could potentially return in January but that hasn’t been finalized yet.
Francis Ngannou’s emotional fight week was shown like never before.
The former UFC heavyweight champion, and now PFL superfights titleholder made his promotional debut at Battle of the Giants earlier this month in Saudi Arabia. Ngannou obliterated opponent Renan Ferreira in the first round with brutal ground and pound. The bout served as his first in MMA since defending the UFC heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 in January.
Ngannou also competed with a heavy heart after losing his 15-month-old son Kobe in April, which was an emotional motivator for the fight. That was shown in an exclusive behind-the-scenes video he posted on his YouTube channel. Check it out in the video above.
After choosing to leave the UFC and vacating the heavyweight championship, Ngannou signed with the PFL, but did not compete for the promotion until the recent pay-per-view event. In between, Ngannou took two boxing fights against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, losing both contests.
Bruno Silva plans to take a break from fighting after coming up short at UFC 308.
“Blindado” revealed on a long video posted on his social media, hours after the loss in Abu Dhabi, that he has dealt with severe anxiety for over four years. The Brazilian middleweight won his first three UFC fights before going on a 1-6 slump inside the octagon.
“I’m a man that always dedicates hard to his professional and personal life,” Silva said in Portuguese. “I’m very happy in my personal life and fulfilled as a man, but there’s been a few years that I have dealt with strong anxiety crisis inside the octagon. Those who don’t know, you feel like drowning. You’re tired and powerless, and all you want is not to be in that octagon. When the first round ended [at UFC 308], the crisis came, and I was very tired. It felt like my heart would come out of my mouth, and I feel bad. I lost my focus entirely. In my mind, I just want to get out of there, you know?”
Silva said he began experiencing these oppressive thoughts four years ago, and they became worse when he fought Gerald Meerschaert. Silva was coming off his first UFC defeat, a decision to future champion Alex Pereira, when he tapped in just 99 seconds against Meerschaert. He bounced back with a first-round knockout over Brad Tavares eight months later, but then lots his next four to Brendan Allen, Shara Magomedov, Chris Weidman and Naurdiev.
“I went to a psychiatrist and started taking medication, did heart exams and there was nothing,” Silva said. “And now, I was doing great. I did all the work, did yoga to calm down and everything, but there are fights that are hard. Some fights are harder than those in the octagon. Fights with our body, our mind, our heart.”
Silva said he will now focus on taking care of himself as a person, leave the fighter aside for a bit, and put his career on pause.
“I have a life ahead of me and won’t fight again like this,” Silva said. “I don’t know how my situation will be in the UFC, if I’m going to be released or not. In case I’m not, I’ll ask for a break. I need some time. I need to check on my body, I need time for myself. I had 10 fights [in three years], I’m one of the most active fighters in the UFC, so I need to take care of myself.”
“To those who like me, and those who are embarrassed, ask for help,” he continued. “Don’t be embarrassed. People will criticize no matter what, so get help. This is my message to you that is going through problems. Ask for help, talk about it. Thank God I don’t have depression, but this is affecting my career, my work, and I’ll only fight again, you’ll only see me in the octagon again, when I’m healed, when I’m well. Fighting like this is too much, it makes me feel bad as a man. I’m devastated to go back home like this. But this is part of life, right?
“I’ve had a victorious career, and now I’m going through a delicate moment. I think I need patience and faith to move forward because life isn’t only about fighting. I have a life as a person, I’m a family man and I need to be well to go back home and put food on the table for my family and people I love. You may think all you want, that I need to change teams and everything, it’s your right. The work was done, but I am the problem. I can go anywhere in the world, the problem is inside me, so I need to get help now. It’s God, myself and a professional to help me now.”
Reigning UFC middleweight champion, Dricus Du Plessis, is expected to make his next 185-pound title defense at some point in early 2025. Prior to the UFC 308 pay-per-view (PPV) card, it was expected that former champion, Sean Strickland, would rematch “Stillknocks” after their close decision at UFC 297 back in January.
Then Khamzat Chimaev went and destroyed Robert Whittaker at UFC 308.
During the UFC 308 post-fight press conference, UFC CEO Dana White would not commit to the next opponent for Du Plessis, suggesting that his final decision would be worked out when matchmakers gathered on Tuesday to map out the next moves for all the competitors who went to war last weekend at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
Du Plessis, however, appears to favor Chimaev over Strickland.
“Feel really sorry for Rob [Whittaker] he looked super ready but this is the fight game,” the champ posted on Twitter, while also reposting a tweet that called for the “Borz” fight as soon as possible. “Well done on a good performance, Khamzat. That being said, I can’t wait to take your 0.”
Chimaev is undefeated at 14-0 with 12 finishes.
Even if the promotion opts to move forward with Chimaev, questions remain about his ability to answer the call. Strickland, despite his own issues, never has a problem making his fight dates and would likely be ready to compete at a moment’s notice. How much that influences White’s decision remains to be seen.
Ilia Topuria and Khamzat Chimaev both accomplished something that had never been done before at UFC 308 as the rising stars capped off a wild pay-per-view event in Abu Dhabi. Now that the dust has settled, what comes next for both guys?
On an all-new edition of On To the Next One, MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee discuss what could for Topuria after he became the first man ever to knock out Max Holloway in the main event to retain the UFC featherweight title. Additionally, future matchups are discussed for Holloway, Chimaev — after being the first UFC fighter to submit Robert Whittaker in the co-main event — Magomed Ankalaev following his decision win over Aleksandar Rakic, Lerone Murphy after earning a hard fought decision against Dan Ige, Shara Magomedov following his wild knockout win over Armen Petrosyan, and more.
Watch the UFC 308 edition of On To the Next One in the video above. Audio-only versions of the podcast can be found below, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and wherever you find your favorite podcasts.
Magomed Ankalaev is confident that Alex Pereira is actively avoiding a showdown, and he’s eager to step into the Octagon with him.
Fresh off a decisive victory over Aleksandar Rakic on the main card of UFC 308, Ankalaev believes he’s earned a title shot. His decision win at UFC 308 showcased his skill, positioning him as a top contender. Speaking to the media after the fight, Ankalaev voiced his suspicions, suggesting that the promotion may be shielding Pereira from the matchup.
No More Running
“Let’s do it: Alex, stop running away from me. … I’ve heard he wants to fight during Ramadan. We’re not fighting in Ramadan. But after Ramadan or before, if he agrees, we’ll fight.”
Ankalaev added, “I think he’s being protected. I’m not sure why the UFC is doing it, but it seems they’re shielding him. He’s an exciting fighter and a strong striker, so maybe they’re just trying to save him.”
Undefeated since 2018, Ankalaev’s fighting style has drawn some criticism, with some detractors labeling it “boring.” However, he remains a formidable contender in the light heavyweight division, eager for his chance to face Pereira.
Continue Reading Magomed Ankalae To Alex Pereira: “Stop Running Away From Me” at MMA News.
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