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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

Tom Aspinall finally got his chance to get face-to-face with Jon Jones for the first time during an appearance at the Arnold Sports Festival in Birmingham, England, on Saturday.

The impromptu meeting took place while Jones was meeting fans and taking pictures. Aspinall approached Jones from the crowd as a sea of onlookers snapped photos of the men, who respectively hold the interim and undisputed UFC titles in the heavyweight division.

Ever since he captured the interim belt this past year with a stunning knockout of Sergei Pavlovich, Aspinall has called for a fight against Jones. But the reigning heavyweight champion has waited for a chance to face Stipe Miocic once his torn pectoral muscle heals.

Despite repeated callouts, Aspinall eventually stopped making noise about fighting Jones. But he still brought up the possibility when they met at the sports festival.

“Are we going to do this thing?” Aspinall said to Jones in a video he posted to his YouTube channel.

“I would hope so,” Jones responded.

Aspinall then asked for a photo, but Jones declined his request for a faceoff. They still stood together as a few pictures were snapped.

All in all, it was a fairly friendly encounter, outside of Aspinall placing his hand on Jones’ shoulder; the fighter often called MMA’s GOAT quickly brushed that off. There was seemingly no ill will, though it’s clear that Aspinall still wants his chance to face Jones in the future.

“I would love to – respect,” Aspinall said to Jones. “I would love to have the honor one day.”

Jones answered back, “Maybe one day.”

Jones also stated he’s healing up slowly but surely as he continues working toward his return to action later this year. There’s no timeline for his fight against Miocic, but it’s expected the heavyweights will square off before the end of the year.

As for Aspinall, he’s committed to staying busy and recently accepted a challenge from Curtis Blaydes, who defeated him in 2022 when he suffered a knee injury in the first round. Blaydes is about one week removed from second-round knockout win of Jailton Almeida, but there’s no word yet if the UFC will book the fight.

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Michael Chandler believes his balls-to-the-wall style of fighting can dethrone lightweight world champion Islam Makhachev.

For more than a year, the former Bellator MMA titleholder has been gearing up for a fabled fight with Irish megastar Conor McGregor. Unfortunately, we’re no closer to seeing that fight happen today than we were in early 2023.

Perhaps feeling a little frustrated by his lengthy layoff, Chandler has seemingly taken aim at Makhachev, but only after the champ suggested that ‘Iron’ stop sitting around waiting for McGregor to return.

“Thanks for the unsolicited advice @MAKHACHEVMMA – I sleep just fine at night…I have a plan and you’re part of it, champ,” Chandler wrote on X, responding to Makhachev’s suggestion.”

After calling out the ‘Dagestani Destroyer’ on social media, fans were quick to comment, suggesting Chandler was making a big mistake by going after the lightweight “king.”

“Styles make fights…I win this one,” Chandler confidently replied.

Islam Makhachev has chosen his next opponent and it’s not Michael Chandler

Michael Chandler could be angling for a fight with Makhachev with much of the lightweight division’s top contenders i.e. Justin Gaethje and Charles Oliveira booked elsewhere.

Makhachev made it clear that he wants to fight this summer, regardless of who it comes against. The champ’s top choice appears to be Dustin Poirier, who is coming off a highlight-reel finish against Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC 299. ‘The Diamond’ is only 2-2 in his last four, but could potentially walk into his third title opportunity given the busy state of the division.

Islam Makhachev has defended his lightweight title twice since scoring a submission victory over Charles Oliveira to claim the belt at UFC 280. However, both of his defenses came against former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovksi.

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

Watch Tai Tuivasa vs. Marcin Tybura full fight video highlights from their main event showdown Saturday night, courtesy of multiple outlets.

Tuivasa vs. Tybura took place March 16 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. Tai Tuivasa (14-6) and Marcin Tybura (24-8) squared off in the the main event clash.

The fight aired live on ESPN+. Catch all the video highlights below.

For more on Tuivasa vs. Tybura, check out our live blog below.

Round 1

Dean gets them going and we’re off. Tuivasa lands a kick to the body, then some nasty elbows. Tybura fighting back, but he’s busted open less than 30 seconds in.

Low kick from Tuivasa, body kick from Tybura, left hand by Tuivasa, then Tybura ducks under for a clean double against the fence. Tuivasa defends for a moment then gets tackled. Over three minutes to work.

Tybura has the back, both hooks in and is landing a flurry of punches, over and over and over again. About 30 unanswered ground strikes from Tybura, but Tuivasa doesn’t look hurt in any way. Tybura takes a breath then starts punching again. Tybura has the rear naked choke locked in and it’s tight. Tuivasa trying to fight it and he’s hanging in there with just under a minute to go. Dean raises Tuivasa’s arm, it hits the canvas, and it’s over.

Marcin Tybura def. Tai Tuivasa via submission (rear naked choke) Round 1, 4:08

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UFC Vegas 88 took place on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and was headlined by a heavyweight bout between Top 10 ranked Tai Tuivasa and Marcin Tybura.  

Tuivasa entered the octagon on Saturday ranked ninth and in desperate need of a win. On a three-fight losing streak, the knockout artist hoped to right the ship against Tybura. 

Tybura was coming off a loss to interim champion Tom Aspinall in his last fight but had won seven of his last nine matches.  He was ranked tenth in the division and looking to move up the ladder.

The two touched gloves and Tybura pressed forward but came up shot.  Tuivasa clinched and delivered elbows.  A cut opened up on Tybura’s had.  Tuivasa landed a leg kick.  Tybura fired back with a head kick that was blocked.  Tybura pressed forward with punches and looked to get the fight to the ground.  Tybura put Tuivasa on his back and delivered right hands.  Tybura took Tuivasa’s back midway through the round.  

Tybura delivered heavy punches while Tuivasa was on his knees.  Tuivasa rolled to his side but Tybura stayed on his back.  He continued to land shots.  Tybura locked on a rear-naked choke.  Tuivasa didn’t really defend it.  He went out.  Tybura choked out Tuivasa.  

The official time of the submission finish was 4:08 of the first round.  

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

Marcin Tybura might have a new scar after UFC Vegas 88 but he’ll still leave with a win following a wild few minutes in the octagon with Tai Tuivasa.

Going up against one of the heaviest hitters in the sport, Tybura knew he would have to weather an early storm as Tuivasa came charging at him with a barrage of punches as soon as the fight started. Tuivasa closed the distance and blasted Tybura with a huge elbow that opened a gash across his head as blood started flowing down his face.

Despite the early onslaught, Tybura survived and then took Tuivasa to the ground where he secured his victory. Tybura hammered away at Tuivasa with punches until he saw an opening to lock on a rear-naked choke that eventually put his opponent to sleep.

The end came at 4:08 in the opening round with Tybura getting the submission win.

“It was striking and looking for the takedown,” Tybura said about his strategy for the fight. “I knew there was a cut and the first takedown, I didn’t succeed so I just knew I had to try it again. He was tough on the ground. I punch him so hard and he didn’t give up. He’s a very tough man.

“He managed to turn [on the ground] so I had to look for something else and there was a submission. I choked him for so long and he was having a very hard time and he was not giving up. I hear him breathing so hard and his skin changing color. I had a little bit more power to apply and I did.”

It looked like a classic Tuivasa fight at the beginning as he came out swinging for the fences with every punch and he connected on more than a few of them. The elbows on the inside that opened up the cut on Tybura’s head gave Tuivasa even more confidence to surge ahead, but that eventually led to his downfall.

Once Tybura was able to clinch up with Tuivasa, he worked tirelessly until he dragged the fight to the ground and the heavyweights never got up again. Tybura maintained his control with a vicious ground and pound attack but Tuivasa just refused to give up.

So that led to Tybura switching to the submission and even then Tuivasa refused to tap out until he eventually just went to sleep from the rear-naked choke. It was an important win for Tybura after he fell to current interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall in his last outing and he now moves to 3-1 in his past four fights.

He’s hoping this latest win will give him a chance to climb back up the ladder at heavyweight.

“I just want to prove to everybody that I’m capable of doing good in the top 10,” Tybura said. “Anyone from the top 10 would be great for me.”

As for Tuivasa, he suffers his fourth loss in a row — all by knockout or submission — and it’s entirely possible that his tenure with the UFC might come to an end after this latest setback.

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