Category: Blue Corner

Video: LFA’s Kendra McIntyre ragdoll KOs opponent with absolutely vicious head kick

Check out video of Kendra McIntyre’s insane head kick Knockout of the Year contender at LFA 182.

Max Holloway may have MMA Junkie’s Knockout of the Month, Knockout of the Year, and beyond locked up with his buzzer-beating finish of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300, but that hasn’t stopped other fighters from submitting their entry into the conversation.

At LFA 182, [autotag]Kendra McIntyre[/autotag] did exactly that Friday night.

In Round 3 of a strawweight contest against Katarina Legorreta, McIntyre (3-1) created a knockout highlight that will be replayed for the rest of her career. Not to mention, it was the first of her career, too.

Legorreta (2-1) was clearly fatigued as she offered a labored left hand. McIntyre didn’t even bother to block it. Instead, she ate on the chin, fired off a right hand and ended the fight with a vicious left head kick that sent her opponent crashing to the canvas like a ragdoll.

Check out video of the devastating knockout in the video below (via X):

The moment for McIntyre, 28, was the first finish of her young career. Her first pro fight was last March, which she won by unanimous decision. She followed that up with another over Alandria Rosales before suffering the first loss of her career in January. Then, she bounced back into the win column on Friday with one of the most brutal knockouts ever witnessed.

Could you imagine if McIntyre manages to top her first-ever knockout?

MMA promotion adds bonus inspired by Max Holloway’s UFC 300 knockout, and it’s pretty wild

The “Max Point Throwdown” bonus might just be the perfect (but also wild) way to incentive maximum violence.

A Dutch MMA promotion might’ve just figured out a perfect (but also wild) way to incentive maximum violence thanks to former UFC featherweight champion [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag].

Inspired by Holloway’s iconic knockout of Justin Gaethje last Saturday at UFC 300, Levels Fight League of the Netherlands announced Thursday that it has implemented what it’s calling the “Max Point Throwdown” bonus, and it’s exactly what it sounds like.

If combatants in a LFL fight “initiate by pointing to the center of the ring” and then “initiate the exchange, putting it all in the line,” they will be eligible to claim a share of a $5,000 bonus pot.

“We discussed allocating ($5,000) between five fights, so up to $1K a fight if it happens each fight, and we’ll re-assess,” an LFL representative told Jamie Theodosi of Bloody Elbow. “But honestly we will judge on a fight-by-fight basis. If it brings us moments like these, we are happy to reward the fighters with more.”

Comfortably up three rounds to one (and about to win the fifth) at UFC 300, Holloway pointed to the center of the octagon as the 10-second clapper sounded and took the risk to engage in a wild brawl before putting Gaethje to sleep with one vicious punch to claim the BMF title.

The all-time badass sequence is why LFL was inspired to do this.

“We were already huge fans of Max Holloway, and after that fight we wanted to do something in his honor,” the LFL rep said. “Sure, he’s UFC, we’re LFL – but this sport is global, and we’re still fans at the end of the day, so why not? No one else is doing it.”

Who knows? Maybe this crazy idea works exactly how LFL is hoping, and we start posting about highlights of insane knockouts happening in their organization.

In the famous words of Dana White, we’ll see how this thing plays out.

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Bo Nickal’s response to Khamzat Chimaev’s criticism of his UFC 300 win wasn’t the best

Asking who Khamzat Chimaev beat when he, too, was 5-0 kind of backfired on Bo Nickal.

Perhaps [autotag]Bo Nickal[/autotag]’s response to [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag] dismissing his UFC 300 performance wasn’t the best.

Chimaev (13-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) criticized Nickal’s (6-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) wrestling – calling it “big bullsh*t” on X – in his second-round submission of Cody Brundage in Saturday’s UFC 300 main card opener.

Nickal’s rebuttal?

“The fact that he’s recognizing it and he sees what’s coming, too, I think that it’s good for everybody,” Nickal said on “The MMA Hour.” “Good for me, good for him, good for the sport. So, we’re going to make that fight happen. I would just, in response to that, yo, who were you fighting at 5-0, bro? Some random dude in Europe. Like, I’m fighting in the UFC, on UFC 300. So there’s levels to this.”

The “random dude in Europe” that Chimaev beat when he, too, was 5-0? None other than Ikram Aliskerov, who hasn’t lost since that 2019 knockout by Chimaev and is 2-0 in the UFC with two first-round knockouts.

Nickal kind of shot himself in the foot there with that remark.

Nickal believes a fight between him and Chimaev is inevitable. However, Chimaev is a lot further ahead in his UFC title campaign as he gears up for his No. 1 contender bout against former champion Robert Whittaker, which headlines the June 22 card in Saudi Arabia.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.

Video: UFC 300 behind-the-scenes video blog reveals production side of mega-event

It’s not often we get to see how the sausage is made on a UFC broadcast, so enjoy this behind-the-scenes video blog from UFC 300.

It’s not often we get to see how the sausage is made on a UFC broadcast.

UFC 300 this past weekend at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas was one of the biggest events in the storied header of MMA’s leading organization, and with that has some some special behind-the-scenes access.

UFC Television Director J.J. Szokody posted a unique video blog to a YouTube channel in the aftermath of the event, taking viewers inside the trucks and showing how various elements of a UFC event are put together for the world to watch.

Check out the 15-minute video above and meet some of the key people who make a UFC card happen.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.

Video: UFC 300 corner cam shows Max Holloway’s coaches lose their minds watching epic knockout

The reaction footage from Max Holloway’s insane knockout of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 continue to pour in, this time from his corner.

The reaction footage from [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag]’s insane knockout of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 continues to pour in, and this time it’s from the corner of the BMF champion.

Holloway (26-7 MMA, 22-7 UFC) posted to social media Tuesday openly asking why the UFC didn’t include the shot of his corner celebrating on the UFC 300 broadcast after he scored a remarkable knockout of Gaethje with just one second remaining in the final round at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Just a few hours later, Holloway obtained the raw footage and shared it for the world, and it’s as awesome as you’d expect.

Holloway comes from a largely unheralded team in Hawaii. His coaches rarely speak to the media and just quietly work on helping “Blessed” improve as a fighter. Coaches Michael Nakagawa, Jordan Rita and Darin Yap got to see the fruits of their labor pay off on the biggest stage, watching Holloway score what Joe Rogan called the “great knockout of all time.”

Check out the footage of the corner celebration below (via X):

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C51JrFLPK2P/?igsh=MTQ1c2RtOXM4dTJ1dA

Hollowaym, 32, praised his corner on the caption of the post and was thankful for the support of his team in such a memorable moment.

“It takes a village,” Holloway said. “… they make some of the biggest sacrifices for me. A debt I’ll never be able to repay.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.

Video shows Max Holloway’s phone call with Justin Gaethje, more backstage aftermath of UFC 300 knockout

Max Holloway’s iconic knockout of Justin Gaethje made him the man of the hour immediately after UFC 300.

Could you imagine what [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] experienced in the immediate aftermath of one of the most legendary knockouts in UFC history?

Well, you don’t have to.

Holloway, the former UFC featherweight champion and newly crowned BMF champion, scored an incredible knockout of Justin Gaethje in the fifth round of their lightweight encounter this past Saturday at UFC 300 in Las Vegas. It was an all-time badass moment as Holloway, in a fight he was comfortably winning, invited Gaethje to the center of the cage so they could throw down in the final 10 seconds. That’s when Holloway connected on a devastating overhand right that sent Gaethje’s limp body crashing to the canvas.

Afterward, Holloway had his own camera person follow him around backstage at T-Mobile Arena to capture moments behind the scenes, including an emotional phone conversation with his father, Dana White passing the phone to him to speak with Gaethje from the hospital, a ton of congratulations from fellow UFC fighters and celebrities in attendance, and more.

Check out the video from Holloway’s YouTube channel above.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.

UFC 300 video shows Marc Goddard downright in disbelief as Max Holloway knocked out Justin Gaethje

Marc Goddard was all of us as one of the most iconic knockouts in UFC history happened right before his eyes.

Marc Goddard had the same reaction we all did when [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] knocked out [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] – even while refereeing the fight.

Goddard was tasked as the third man in the cage for the BMF title fight between Holloway (26-7 MMA, 22-7 UFC) and Gaethje (25-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC), which took place Saturday at UFC 300 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Holloway was in firm control of the fight until he decided to risk it all in the final 10 seconds when he pointed to the middle of the octagon and invited Gaethje to throw down. The pair got into some wild exchanges until Holloway knocked Gaethje out cold with just one second remaining.

Everyone in the arena lost their minds, and Goddard couldn’t help himself either. He wished everyone got to see his reaction, and the UFC granted that wish. Check out Goddard’s reaction below!

Goddard also had this to say about Holloway’s iconic moment.

“I’m still speechless. Still have goosebumps. Both of these guys are the epitome of our sport. Sheer class. What a privilege.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.

UFC champion Ilia Topuria meets soccer superstar Lionel Messi

UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria snaps a photo with soccer superstar Leo Messi.

[autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag]’s soccer interest goes beyond Spain.

The undefeated UFC featherweight champion met and snapped a photo with soccer superstar and World Cup winner Lionel Messi on Saturday at the Chase Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida – at Inter Miami’s home game against Colorado.

Topuria, a big soccer fan who supports Real Madrid, had nothing, but good things to say about Messi.

“With one of the biggest legends in the history of sports,” Topuria wrote on Instagram. “He’s a great example for me and a role model for everyone.”

You can check out Topuria’s post with Messi below.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C5dhnHJLqUX/?img_index=1

Topuria won the UFC featherweight title in February by knocking out all-time great Alexander Volkanovski in the main event of UFC 298. The undefeated champion is quickly becoming one of the biggest stars in MMA, and one of the biggest sporting figures in Spain and Europe.

Although nothing official, the UFC has expressed interest in hosting an event in Spain, given Topuria’s rise. Topuria hopes to defend his 145-pound belt at the Santiago Bernabéu – home of Real Madrid.

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Fight Tracks: The walkout songs of UFC Fight Night 240, where the Eminem Curse was at it again

Check out all the fighter walkout songs from Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 240 event.

While it takes intense training, world-class skills and maybe even a bit of luck to register a UFC win, picking the right song to accompany you to the cage is a key talent, as well.

See what the fighters from UFC Fight Night 240 went with as their backing tracks in Las Vegas (fighters listed alphabetically).

VIDEO: Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown geeks out over ex-UFC star Nate Diaz

Mike Brown was gushing when he heard Nate Diaz was going to be in attendance for a Sacramento Kings game.

Mike Brown was gushing when he heard [autotag]Nate Diaz[/autotag] was going to be in attendance for a Sacramento Kings game.

The former UFC star attended Tuesday’s Sacramento Kings vs. Los Angeles Clippers game at Golden 1 Center. The Kings won their home game 109-95.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C5SQPGqrU4u/

Brown, the Sacramento Kings’ head coach, heaped praise on Diaz and discussed his love for the UFC.

“I’m a big UFC guy,” Brown said during a media scrum. “Man, I heard Nate Diaz is in the house. Respect, Nate. You, your brother, what you guys (have) done – I get excited when I watch UFC. I have me a few drinks, and I get into it and think I’m out there.

“I could never do what they do, but man, (I’m) a huge, huge fan of the Diaz brothers, especially knowing Nate is in the house, so if you guys see him out there, obviously I know you guys do anyway, but show him love because he’s one of the all-time greatest – a lot of fun to watch.”