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LOS ANGELES – Watch video of the press conference staredown between Canelo Alvarez, the WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO super middleweight champion, and undefeated Jaime Munguia. The two faced off for cameras in Los Angeles after promoting their fight.

Alvarez (60-2-2, 39 KOs) defends his titles against Munguia (43-0, 34 KOs) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on May 4.

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The Beverly Hills Hotel on Tuesday hosted a press conference to promotion the May 4 bout between undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez and Jaime Miunguia.

Following the news conference, Alvarez and Miunguia faced off.  Check out the video below.  

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Kayla Harrison could have a short climb to an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) title fight should things go her way at UFC 300 next month (Sat., April 13, 2024).

UFC’s women’s Bantamweight division has gone through a dramatic face-lift since its longtime ruler and all-time great, Amanda Nunes, retired in June 2023. 10-plus year UFC veteran, Raquel Pennington, now holds the division’s title and finds herself targeted by the admittedly thin cast of challengers.

Former two-time Professional Fighters League (PFL) Lightweight champion, Harrison, will soon make her promotional debut against Pennington’s past successor, Holly Holm, at the aforementioned super show. Thanks to Harrison’s career thus far as a 16-1 former champion and Bantamweight’s lack of viable contenders, a win can land her a bout with “Rocky” sooner rather than later.

“Just from having to grind from the bottom up, never being handed anything, there’s a lot of women in this division who have been busting their ass for years and years,” Pennington told MiddleEasy of a potential Harrison title shot. “They’re wanting opportunities. I do not find it fair.

“I get the business aspect of it,” she continued. “But I do not find it fair when an athlete comes in and just because they have a big name, they get to skip the line. I’m not opposed to fighting anybody. I love the challenges out there.”

Pennington, 35, will be waiting until after UFC 300 for her next opponent at the very least. Ultimately, she expects the promotion to take the route of going with the former champion, Julianna Pena, who last fought when losing her title in the Nunes rematch via unanimous decision at UFC 277 in July 2022 (watch highlights).

“In my mind it’s Julianna Pena. That’s what me and my team are preparing for, and it makes sense.” Pennington said of her first title challenger. “It’s tough because the UFC does business how they want to do business. Obviously, you have Kayla Harrison who just signed to the UFC. They do have a habit of when someone has a big name, they like to fast-track them.

“So I wouldn’t be surprised after UFC 300 next month if Kayla wins, if a phone call is a lot different after that fight,” she continued. “But we’ll see. For me, I think it’s Julianna.”

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UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis said he’s still recovering from injuries and doesn’t want to jump back in the octagon “too soon.”

That said, du Plessis expects to face Israel Adesanya in the first defense of his title, and he has a challenge for the ex-champ.

“So you claim you want to drag my carcass around in South Africa, as you said,” du Plessis said on the “Hustlers Corner” video podcast. “So be a man of your word, and let’s do it.”

Du Plessis turned down a grudge match with Adesanya at UFC 300, citing injuries to his legs that he suffered in his title-winning performance against Sean Strickland.

But the middleweight champ said his team is working on booking the fight with Adesanya, whom he faced off with this past year after a win over ex-champ Robert Whittaker at UFC 290.

“We are trying,” du Plessis said of the title matchup. “We are talking, definitely. That’s what the people want to see, and that’s what I want to do. I want to fight the best guys. This is an entertaining sport.

“Who do I wanna fight? I don’t care, I’m the champion. I’ll fight whoever they put in front of me. But what I want in my heart is to fight the guy that the people want to see me fight.”

As for a timeline on the middleweight title fight, du Plessis said his advance in the 185-pound division took its physical toll. He said the majority of his recent fights were taken on less than full training camps.

“Now, with some injuries, [I’m letting that] recover and taking a little break,” he said. “But I want to fight two more times this year. For me, that would be ideal.”

Also ideal for the middleweight champ is a shot at Adesanya in South Africa. The 30-year-old fighter has repeatedly asked the UFC for all all-Africa title showdown. Numerous logistical hurdles stand in the way of that request, though UFC CEO Dana White has promised the promotion will land on the continent before he retires.

Du Plessis said MMA has been exploding in South Africa, and a showdown between he and Adesanya would be huge for the country. He previously told ESPN.com a June or July date would work best.

“We are entertaining people at the end of the day,” du Plessis said. “That’s part of our job.”

Check out du Plessis’ full interview below.

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Former two-division UFC champion, Conor McGregor has confirmed a return to the Octagon will take place later this summer – in a long-anticipated fight against perennial lightweight contender, Michael Chandler, claiming he received confirmation of his return from the promotion at long last.

McGregor, a former undisputed lightweight and featherweight champion under the banner of the promotion, has been sidelined since 2021, most recently fracturing his left tibia and fibula in a first round doctor’s stoppage TKO loss to Dustin Poirier.

As for Chandler, the Kill Cliff FC staple has yet to feature since took on former interim lightweight champion, Poirier back in 2022, suffering a third round rear-naked choke loss to their common-opponent.

Conor McGregor confirms UFC return is set

Remaining anxious regarding his comeback to the sport amid continued frustration, McGregor, 35, appears to have finally received a breakthrough on a return to the UFC – claiming confirmation has been granted by the brass regarding a summer fight with Chandler.

“We got confirmation a few days ago that it’s all systems go,” Conor McGregor told ESPN MMA. “And ‘The Mac’ – ‘The Notorious’, will be returning to the UFC Octagon this summer.”

“Shut up, Michael (Chandler) – you f*cking imbecile,” Conor McGregor explained. “The man doesn’t shut up. I seen him on ‘Raw’ – I like Mike – I’m going to bust him up. I’m going to bust MIke up, yeah? If I say it, I do it – if I say it, it gets done. Put that on my stone.”

Growing concerned with a lack of traction on a fight with Chandler this summer, McGregor claimed he was initially targeted to fight in December of last year or in January, before brakes were put on a comeback.

McGregor also revealed his growing frustrations with his hiatus from the sport, as he takes part in a global tour to promote the upcoming release of ‘Road House’ – which features the Dubliner in an apparent lead antagonist role.

Are you excited to see Conor McGregor fight in the UFC this summer?

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